There is a water beneath the water that moves it.

What it means

Every wave is pushed by a deeper current. Rumi says the soul is the same, moved by a Spirit beneath it. Pay attention to the current, not only the waves.

The source

"There is a water beneath the water that moves it." Rumi said it in Masnavi III, The Elephant in the Dark. Translated by E. H. Whinfield, 1898.

"Under the water you see there is another Water moving it, Within the spirit is a Spirit that calls it."

E. H. Whinfield, 1898, Masnavi III, The Elephant in the Dark. Text read at archive.org.

Who said it

Rumi (1207–1273). Persian poet and Sufi teacher, born near Balkh and settled in Konya. His Masnavi, six books of rhyming couplets, opens with the song of a reed flute.

Questions

What does "There is a water beneath the water that moves it." mean?

Every wave is pushed by a deeper current. Rumi says the soul is the same, moved by a Spirit beneath it. Pay attention to the current, not only the waves.

Who said "There is a water beneath the water that moves it."?

Rumi (1207–1273). Source: Masnavi III, The Elephant in the Dark.

What is the original wording?

Under the water you see there is another Water moving it, Within the spirit is a Spirit that calls it (E. H. Whinfield, 1898). Translated by E. H. Whinfield, 1898.

Is "There is a water beneath the water that moves it." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"There is a water beneath the water that moves it." (Rumi, Masnavi III, The Elephant in the Dark, trans. E. H. Whinfield, 1898). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/there-is-a-water-beneath-the-water-that