Interpretation of Rumi Poem – The Trials and The Tribulations

Please go through the introductory article https://www.astrosaxena.com/articles/InterpretationofRumiPoemsQuotesIntroduction to understand the theme of these interpretations of Rumi’s literature.

Rumi’s Poem – The Trials & The Tribulations.

“The icy winds, the scorching heat, the storms, the clouds, and the lightening all exist in order to make the differences apparent so the Earth may reveal the Gems she has stolen from the Treasury of Almighty.

God’s Kindness is revealed in Spring, His wrath in Autumn. Winter is the allegory of crucifixion exposing the thief hidden in you.

As the body is the denier of the light of Spirit, God sends It's trials of suffering and pain so the Gold of Spirit may manifest.”

My interpretation – Now, my interpretation of this poem is as follows –

Initial part of the poem can be understood easily where Rumi says that the trials and tribulation we go through in life are the ways to realize our hidden traits and characteristics.

Rumi uses the metaphor of extremes of Weather or Nature to indicate pains and suffering in our lives. He says the way we behave and react or respond in times of crisis shows our true strength of character. Just like after extremes of Weather new flowers and new beauty in nature takes birth again. Likewise, pains and suffering in life are the ways by which we can evolve and develop new evolved traits within us and may realize our own uniqueness given by divine.

Osho also says that it is very easy to talk about peace and non-violence in Sunday Morning Meeting in a Church but the real test of a non-violent and peaceful person is when he is armed with weapon and his defenseless enemy is standing in front of him. His behavior or reaction under this situation will show if he is really non-violent or not.

Then Rumi says that it is all Divine only which manifests in different forms. Due to our conditioning or likes/dislikes, we categorize these forms as good or bad but they all are manifestation of same Divine. Rumi says that God’s Kindness is manifested in Spring and Wrath in Autumn.

Likewise, Krishna says in Bhagwad Gita that He is Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva both. Now, Lord Vishnu is sustainer and Lord Shiva is destroyer. Still, Krishna doesn’t find any difficulty in accepting that He is manifestation of both.

So, if we are going through tribulation (Autumn) or happy times (Spring), they are all manifestation of same Divine.

Then Rumi says that “Winter is the allegory of crucifixion exposing the thief hidden in you”. Winter means season of Cold. It means that when we deal with cold people in our lives who are detached and unemotional, it feels like crucifixion to us. Our reaction to that experience will show our reality within us. With every experience, one can become either Bitter or Better. It is one's wish which path one wishes to tread.

The best way to understand it is through crucifixion of Jesus Christ, who on the cross prayed to God in words like these - "Let Thy Will Be Done" and for people who were crucifying Him, He prayed to God as to "Forgive them as they know not what they are doing". 

In final part, Rumi says that when we go through the path of bodily pleasure, we forget the divine spirit within us. Under these situations, just to remind us of Divine Soul within us, God would have to send some pains and sufferings.

Like, we can go through a normal routine way of living our lives in a very sleepy and unconscious way. For example, we can be completely unconscious while driving a Car (if we are habitual of driving and also familiar with path). We feel that there is no need to be 100% conscious in such a situation. Driving becomes mechanical as hands automatically goes to the gears, Driving Wheel automatically changes the directions and feet automatically press the breaks.

But then if suddenly something or someone comes on the path of your drive-way, suddenly you become aware and conscious.

Likewise, in routine course of life, we can become totally unconscious. Hence, the pains and difficulties in life are necessary to bring us back in consciousness mode.

“Nothing is entirely useless in this world. Even the worst of us can at least serve as horrible examples”. - An Anonymous Prisoner in Salt Lake City Prison at Utah, USA.

Hope this helps. Thanks,