Skip to main content

Phallocentric Esotericism in a Tale from Rumi�s Masnavi Manavi



Phallocentric Esotericism in a Tale from Jalal al-Din Rumi�s Masnavi 
By Mahdi Tourage

"The Masnavi-yi Ma�navi, the Mystical Epic of the great thirteenth century Persian mystic Jalal al-Din Rumi (d. 1273), contains explicit sexual images and bawdy tales that seem to have posed a problem for readers, commentators, and interpreters alike. When these �pornographic� tales are not completely overlooked, scholars view them as lacking mystical signi?cance and as disrupting the mystical ?ow of the text. This paper is an assessment of Rumi�s modes of communicating esoteric secrets in a virtually unexplored bawdy tale in the Masnavi, the Tale of the Prankster who Donned the Veil and Sat among the Women during a Religious Gathering (5:3325 �3350). I will begin with a survey of the established readings of the Masnavi in which the presence of the bawdy tales has been noted. In order to situate Rumi�s bawdy tales in their historical context, a discussion of the instances and purposes of bawdy material in medieval Persian literature will follow."

Read the entire paper below:

Phallocentric Esotericism in a Tale from Rumi�s Masnavi          


                     | PDF| ENGLISH| 24 PAGES |


Related Post:

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Lagta Hai

The Great Sufi Poet of Herat, Jami

Despite being virtually unknown here in America, the outstanding 15th century Persian Sufi, Nuruddin Abdul Rahman Jami was a Sufi poet par excellence. Among the Persian speakers, Jami's following verses - offering glowing praises for Rumi and his magna obra, Masnavi Manavi or Rhyming Couplets of Profound Spiritual Meanings - are widely known and often recited: Maulana Rumi's Masnavi Manavi  is the Quran in Persian language. I'm not saying that his excellency,  Maulana Rumi is a Prophet, but he sure does have a Book. Jami - My Translation ????? ????? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ????  ??? ????? ????????? ???? "Nuruddin Abdul Rahman Jami (1414-1492) was a Persian poet, scholar, and Sufi mystic. He wrote lyrical poems and odes, seven romantic or didactic Masnavi (rhyming couplets), such as `Yusuf u Zulaikha` and `Salaman and Absal`, and many other works. Over almost fifty years, Jami turned his hand to every genre of Persi...

Rumi and Confucius

"Despite the fact that Confucius and Rumi were born in different periods and places, both were born at a time of social upheaval and political turmoil. Consequently, both thinkers tried to provide the means for their people to overcome the times of difficulty, first by understanding, cultivating, and realizing their human potentialities, and then by transforming themselves, their families, and their societies. Interestingly, Rumi and Confucius share more in common than most people would think and their teachings are still meaningful and relevant to the modern world. The wisdom of Confucius and Rumi provides today�s readers with spiritual resources to overcome the challenges of our time and to build bridges of understanding and dialogue among different cultures and civilizations. This paper examines the core ideas of these two great thinkers and provides anthropocosmic insights into their ideas on nature, family and music." READ ENTIRE PAPER BELOW: Rumi and Confucius: Message...