شمع اور پروانہ

عشق آں شعلہ است کہ جُز در دلِ مَجنون نَیست
نُورِ آن شَمع کہ در خانۂ پروانَہ

Ishq an shula ast ke juz dar dil e Majnun nayst
Nur e an sham that dar khana ye parvana nayst

Love is that candle which burns only in the heart of the devoted,
A light that cannot be contained within the home of the moth,

-Rumi-

In the luminous tradition of Persian, Arabic, and Urdu poetry, the interplay of the candle and the moth has long served as a profound symbol of love and devotion. This enduring image, celebrated by mystics and poets alike, speaks of a light that beckons with gentle persistence—a light that offers both solace and transformation. The candle, steady and radiant, embodies the eternal presence of hope, guidance, and divine inspiration. The moth, fragile yet fearless, symbolizes the heart’s ceaseless yearning, drawn irresistibly toward that light even when the journey is fraught with the risk of being consumed.

Throughout history, luminaries like Rumi, Hafez, and Mirza Ghalib have woven this metaphor into verses that capture the paradox of love: a delicate surrender that is both an act of creation and a glimpse into the infinite. Their words remind us that true love does not shy away from its intensity; rather, it transforms our very being, much like the moth that, in its fervent pursuit, finds beauty in the flame itself. This motif is not merely poetic—it is a living tradition, a timeless testament to the transformative power of love, urging us to embrace the light and the warmth that it brings into our lives.

شمع اور پروانہ جب ملیں،
روشنی سے بھی نکھر جائے یہ جہاں

Shama aur parwana jab milein,
Roshni se bhi nikhar jaye yeh jahan.

"When the candle and the moth unite,
The world itself is refined by their light."

May your love be a radiant force—a beacon that guides you through darkness, transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary, and refines the world with its gentle glow.