In a long sufi love poem, a prince and princess face many trials. For the sufis, what did the lovers' trials stand for?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → The soul's journey towards union with the divine
Option (1) The soul's journey towards union with the divine — Correct. Sufi masnavis used human love as an allegory for divine love. In Jayasi's Padmavat, the trials of Padmini and Ratansen stand for the soul's journey to God.
Option (2) The struggle of Rajput kingdoms against the Sultans — Incorrect. The poem is set among Rajput royals, but the sufi reading of it is spiritual. The lovers' trials carry a religious meaning about the soul and God.
Option (3) The disciple's years of service in the master's hospice — Incorrect. Service in the hospice was part of a disciple's life, but the lovers are not master and disciple. The allegory is about love between the soul and God.
Option (4) The passing of spiritual authority from master to successor — Incorrect. Passing authority to a chosen successor belongs to the working of a silsila. A love story in these poems stands for divine love instead.
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