The Spiritual Couplets of Maulana Jalalu-'d-Dln Muhammad Rumi

This is the best known work of Mevlana Rumi consisting of 24660 couplets in seven books. Rumi himself defined his work as a work of destruction destruction of the worldly for the sake of embracing the Divine. He warns the reader in advance to be prepared to let go of everything:Every venture one's life may repleteMathnavi's purpose is the Great Defeat.Set afire burning with cleansing heatOn the anvil egos ply and beat.This book if you open read entreatYour life a mendicant's in the street.I died as a mineral and became a plantI died as plant and rose to animalI died as animal and I was Man.Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?Yet once more I shall die as Man to soarWith angels bless'd; but even from angelhoodI must pass on: all except God doth perish.When I have sacrificed my angel-soulI shall become what no mind e'er conceived.Oh let me not exist! for Non-existenceProclaims in organ tonesTo Him we shall return.