Comparative mythology corpus

batch.motif.sufi-rumi-mesnevi-book-1-redhouse-gutenberg-l990-l1126

batch.motif.sufi-rumi-mesnevi-book-1-redhouse-gutenberg-l990-l1126

---
record_id: batch.motif.sufi-rumi-mesnevi-book-1-redhouse-gutenberg-l990-l1126
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
passage_locator:
  label: THE ACTS OF THE ADEPTS / CHAPTER I. / CHAPTER II. / CHAPTER III.; lines 990-1126
  start: '990'
  end: '1126'
  translation: The Mesnevi
  notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
    human review required.
canonical_text:
  quote: ''
  summary: 'The passage recounts early hagiographic episodes from Jelālu-’d-Dīn’s
    childhood and youth: visionary beings appear to him, his father interprets them
    as visitors from the invisible world, he disappears during a childhood challenge
    and reports being conducted through celestial spheres, his noble and saintly lineage
    is described, he experiences a visible divine manifestation and heavenly voice,
    and later goes to Aleppo for study where others become jealous of him.'
  language: English
  quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
  text: At age five, Jelālu-’d-Dīn became restless when spiritual forms and shapes
    from the invisible world appeared before him.
  category: action
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:1
- id: obs:2
  text: Bahā’u-’d-Dīn Veled told the child that the beings were Occult Existences
    bringing gifts and presents from the invisible world.
  category: speech
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:2
- id: obs:3
  text: The title Khudāvendgār, glossed as “My Lord,” was conferred on Jelālu-’d-Dīn
    by his father during this period.
  category: attribute
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:3
- id: obs:4
  text: At age six, while on a terraced roof with other children, Jelālu-’d-Dīn rejected
    jumping between terraces as childish and proposed springing up to the firmament
    and visiting God’s realm.
  category: speech
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:4
- id: obs:5
  text: Jelālu-’d-Dīn vanished from the children’s sight and then returned with an
    altered expression and pale cheeks.
  category: action
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:5
- id: obs:6
  text: After his return, the other children uncovered before him, fell to the ground,
    and declared themselves his disciples.
  category: relationship
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:5
- id: obs:7
  text: Jelālu-’d-Dīn said visible forms in green raiment had led him through concentric
    celestial orbs and zodiacal signs and showed him wonders of the spirit world.
  category: speech
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:6
- id: obs:8
  text: At that age, Jelālu-’d-Dīn was said to break his fast only once every three
    or four days, and sometimes once in seven days.
  category: attribute
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:7
- id: obs:9
  text: A disciple of Bahā Veled reported that Bahā Veled publicly affirmed Jelālu-’d-Dīn’s
    exalted descent, including royal and saintly lineage.
  category: attribute
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:8
- id: obs:10
  text: At age seven, Jelālu-’d-Dīn recited Qur’ān chapter cviii every morning and
    wept while reciting it.
  category: action
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:9
- id: obs:11
  text: God appeared visibly to Jelālu-’d-Dīn, causing him to faint; after regaining
    consciousness, he heard a voice from heaven.
  category: sequence
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:10
- id: obs:12
  text: The heavenly voice told Jelālu-’d-Dīn to cease combating with himself because
    he had been exalted to the station of ocular vision.
  category: speech
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:11
- id: obs:13
  text: Jelālu-’d-Dīn vowed to serve the Lord to the end of his days and hoped his
    followers would attain the same high grade of favor and excellence.
  category: action
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:12
- id: obs:14
  text: Later, Jelālu-’d-Dīn went from Qonya to Aleppo to study; his professor favored
    him, and others complained to the governor from jealousy.
  category: sequence
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:13
figures:
- id: fig:1
  name_or_label: Jelālu-’d-Dīn Muhammed
  description: The central figure of the passage, described as a child and later student
    who experiences visions, a celestial journey, divine appearance, and recognition
    by others.
  role_refs:
  - role:1
  - role:2
  - role:3
  - role:4
  - role:5
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:1
  - ev:5
  - ev:6
  - ev:8
  - ev:10
  - ev:12
  - ev:13
- id: fig:2
  name_or_label: Bahā’u-’d-Dīn Veled / Bahā Veled
  description: Jelālu-’d-Dīn’s father, who soothes him during visions, confers the
    title Khudāvendgār, and affirms his exalted descent.
  role_refs:
  - role:6
  - role:7
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:2
  - ev:3
  - ev:8
- id: fig:3
  name_or_label: Occult Existences / spiritual forms from the invisible world
  description: Angelic messengers, righteous genii, saintly men, and other spiritual
    forms said to appear bodily to the child.
  role_refs:
  - role:8
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:1
  - ev:2
- id: fig:4
  name_or_label: Children on the terraced roof
  description: Other children who propose jumping to a neighboring terrace, witness
    Jelālu-’d-Dīn’s disappearance and return, and declare themselves his disciples.
  role_refs:
  - role:9
  - role:10
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:4
  - ev:5
- id: fig:5
  name_or_label: Visible forms clad in green raiment
  description: A company of visible forms said by Jelālu-’d-Dīn to have led him through
    celestial regions and returned him when the children cried out.
  role_refs:
  - role:11
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:6
- id: fig:6
  name_or_label: God / heavenly voice
  description: The divine presence appears visibly to Jelālu-’d-Dīn and a voice from
    heaven addresses him.
  role_refs:
  - role:12
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:10
  - ev:11
- id: fig:7
  name_or_label: Professor in Aleppo
  description: A teacher who shows attention to Jelālu-’d-Dīn because of his father
    and aptitude as a scholar.
  role_refs:
  - role:13
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:13
- id: fig:8
  name_or_label: Jealous others in Aleppo
  description: People offended by the professor’s preference who complain about Jelālu-’d-Dīn
    to the governor.
  role_refs:
  - role:14
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:13
- id: fig:9
  name_or_label: Governor of the city
  description: The governor who resolves to observe Jelālu-’d-Dīn for himself after
    receiving complaints.
  role_refs:
  - role:15
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:13
roles:
- id: role:1
  label: visionary child
  assigned_to:
  - fig:1
  basis: As a child, he sees spiritual forms from the invisible world.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:1
- id: role:2
  label: celestial traveler
  assigned_to:
  - fig:1
  basis: He vanishes and later reports being led through celestial orbs and zodiacal
    signs.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:5
  - ev:6
- id: role:3
  label: recognized master among children
  assigned_to:
  - fig:1
  basis: The children fall before him and declare themselves his disciples.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:5
- id: role:4
  label: royal and saintly descendant
  assigned_to:
  - fig:1
  basis: His descent is described as both royal and saintly, including prophetic and
    caliphal lineage.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:8
- id: role:5
  label: recipient of divine vision
  assigned_to:
  - fig:1
  basis: God appears visibly to him and a heavenly voice says he has been exalted
    to ocular vision.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:10
  - ev:11
- id: role:6
  label: father and interpreter of visions
  assigned_to:
  - fig:2
  basis: He soothes Jelālu-’d-Dīn and explains the visitors as Occult Existences from
    the invisible world.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:2
- id: role:7
  label: conferrer of honorific title
  assigned_to:
  - fig:2
  basis: He confers and uses the title Khudāvendgār for Jelālu-’d-Dīn.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:3
- id: role:8
  label: invisible-world visitors
  assigned_to:
  - fig:3
  basis: They appear in bodily shape and are said to bring gifts from the invisible
    world.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:1
  - ev:2
- id: role:9
  label: witnesses to disappearance and return
  assigned_to:
  - fig:4
  basis: They see Jelālu-’d-Dīn vanish and return among them.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:5
- id: role:10
  label: new disciples
  assigned_to:
  - fig:4
  basis: They fall to the earth and declare themselves his disciples.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:5
- id: role:11
  label: celestial guides
  assigned_to:
  - fig:5
  basis: They lead Jelālu-’d-Dīn through heavenly regions and return him.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:6
- id: role:12
  label: divine revealer
  assigned_to:
  - fig:6
  basis: God appears and a heavenly voice announces Jelālu-’d-Dīn’s exaltation to
    ocular vision.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:10
  - ev:11
- id: role:13
  label: teacher and patronizing instructor
  assigned_to:
  - fig:7
  basis: He shows Jelālu-’d-Dīn special attention because he is Bahā’u-’d-Dīn Veled’s
    son and an apt scholar.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:13
- id: role:14
  label: jealous accusers
  assigned_to:
  - fig:8
  basis: They are offended by the preference shown to Jelālu-’d-Dīn and complain to
    the governor.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:13
- id: role:15
  label: investigating authority
  assigned_to:
  - fig:9
  basis: He resolves to see and judge for himself and hides in the porter’s room.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:13
symbols:
- id: sym:1
  label: invisible world
  literal_form: Spiritual realm from which forms, shapes, gifts, and presents are
    said to come.
  associated_figures:
  - fig:1
  - fig:2
  - fig:3
  taxonomy_refs: []
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:1
  - ev:2
- id: sym:2
  label: firmament and celestial orbs
  literal_form: The firmament, concentric orbs of the spheres, and signs of the Zodiac
    visited during Jelālu-’d-Dīn’s disappearance.
  associated_figures:
  - fig:1
  - fig:5
  taxonomy_refs: []
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:4
  - ev:6
- id: sym:3
  label: green raiment
  literal_form: Green clothing worn by the visible forms who lead Jelālu-’d-Dīn away.
  associated_figures:
  - fig:5
  taxonomy_refs: []
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:6
- id: sym:4
  label: heavenly voice
  literal_form: A voice from heaven heard after the divine appearance and fainting
    episode.
  associated_figures:
  - fig:1
  - fig:6
  taxonomy_refs: []
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:10
  - ev:11
- id: sym:5
  label: Qur’ān chapter cviii
  literal_form: The short chapter recited every morning by Jelālu-’d-Dīn at age seven,
    with weeping.
  associated_figures:
  - fig:1
  taxonomy_refs: []
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:9
- id: sym:6
  label: fasting interval
  literal_form: Breaking fast once every three or four days, and sometimes once in
    seven days.
  associated_figures:
  - fig:1
  taxonomy_refs: []
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:7
scenes:
- id: scene:1
  label: Childhood visions at age five
  summary: Jelālu-’d-Dīn sees spiritual beings from the invisible world; his father
    explains them as Occult Existences bringing gifts and the title Khudāvendgār becomes
    associated with him.
  figure_refs:
  - fig:1
  - fig:2
  - fig:3
  symbol_refs:
  - sym:1
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:1
  - ev:2
  - ev:3
- id: scene:2
  label: Disappearance from the roof and celestial tour
  summary: On a roof with other children, Jelālu-’d-Dīn proposes ascent to God’s realm,
    vanishes, returns, and says green-clad forms led him through celestial spheres
    and the spirit world; the children become his disciples.
  figure_refs:
  - fig:1
  - fig:4
  - fig:5
  symbol_refs:
  - sym:2
  - sym:3
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:4
  - ev:5
  - ev:6
- id: scene:3
  label: Ascetic fasting in childhood
  summary: The passage states that at that age Jelālu-’d-Dīn often broke his fast
    only after several days.
  figure_refs:
  - fig:1
  symbol_refs:
  - sym:6
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:7
- id: scene:4
  label: Genealogical legitimation
  summary: A disciple reports Bahā Veled’s claim that Jelālu-’d-Dīn descends from
    both kings and saintly or prophetic lineages.
  figure_refs:
  - fig:1
  - fig:2
  symbol_refs: []
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:8
- id: scene:5
  label: Divine appearance and heavenly commission
  summary: At age seven, Jelālu-’d-Dīn recites Qur’ān chapter cviii with tears; God
    appears, he faints, a heavenly voice announces his station of ocular vision, and
    he vows lifelong service.
  figure_refs:
  - fig:1
  - fig:6
  symbol_refs:
  - sym:4
  - sym:5
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:9
  - ev:10
  - ev:11
  - ev:12
- id: scene:6
  label: Aleppo study and jealous accusation
  summary: Jelālu-’d-Dīn studies in Aleppo, receives special attention from his professor,
    and is accused by jealous others before the governor.
  figure_refs:
  - fig:1
  - fig:7
  - fig:8
  - fig:9
  symbol_refs: []
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:13
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
  label: miraculous visionary child
  taxonomy_refs:
  - miraculous_child
  basis: The passage repeatedly presents Jelālu-’d-Dīn as a child whose visionary
    experiences, disappearance, fasting, and divine vision mark extraordinary spiritual
    status.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:1
  - ev:5
  - ev:6
  - ev:7
  - ev:10
  - ev:11
  confidence: high
  cautions: The passage is hagiographic; the motif label describes the narrative presentation,
    not a historical determination.
- id: motif:2
  label: ascent through celestial realms
  taxonomy_refs:
  - ascent
  - mystical_quest
  basis: Jelālu-’d-Dīn proposes ascent to the firmament, disappears, and reports being
    conducted through concentric spheres, zodiacal signs, and wonders of the spirit
    world.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:4
  - ev:5
  - ev:6
  confidence: high
  cautions: The ascent is reported in retrospective speech within the episode rather
    than narrated directly by an external narrator.
- id: motif:3
  label: divine election by visible manifestation and heavenly voice
  taxonomy_refs:
  - mystical_quest
  - wisdom
  basis: God visibly appears to Jelālu-’d-Dīn; a heavenly voice declares him exalted
    to ocular vision, after which he vows lifelong service.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:10
  - ev:11
  - ev:12
  confidence: medium
  cautions: Available taxonomy has no exact category for divine election or visionary
    commission; refs are approximate.
- id: motif:4
  label: royal and sacred lineage legitimating a holy figure
  taxonomy_refs:
  - royal_legitimacy
  basis: The passage emphasizes descent from kings, a saintly line, the Prophet’s
    lineage, and the Caliph ‘Alī, concluding that he was well descended both mundanely
    and spiritually.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:8
  confidence: high
  cautions: The passage presents genealogy as a legitimating claim but does not describe
    kingship exercised by Jelālu-’d-Dīn.
- id: motif:5
  label: child ascetic fasting
  taxonomy_refs:
  - initiation
  basis: The passage says that at a young age Jelālu-’d-Dīn broke his fast only after
    several days, sometimes seven.
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:7
  confidence: medium
  cautions: The taxonomy reference is broad; the passage does not explicitly call
    the fasting an initiation.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
  claim: The passage itself compares Jelālu-’d-Dīn’s early visionary encounters with
    Abrahamic prophetic visitation scenes, including Muhammad’s early experiences,
    Gabriel’s appearance to Mary, and angelic appearances to Abraham and Lot.
  claim_level: same_function
  target: 'Prophetic and angelic visitation scenes named in the passage: Muhammad,
    Mary and Gabriel, Abraham, and Lot'
  evidence_refs:
  - ev:1
  counter_evidence_refs: []
  confidence: high
  limitations: The comparison is made by the passage for analogy of visionary appearance;
    it does not establish identical status, historical transmission, or a full narrative
    equivalence.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
  type: summary
  locator: lines 990-1014
  quote_or_summary: The text says that at age five Jelālu-’d-Dīn became uneasy because
    spiritual forms from the invisible world appeared to him, including angelic messengers,
    righteous genii, and saintly men; it compares such appearances to visions associated
    with Muhammad, Mary, Abraham, Lot, and other prophets.
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
  type: quote
  locator: lines 1015-1020
  quote_or_summary: "“These are the Occult Existences. They come to present themselves
    before you, to offer unto you gifts and presents from the invisible world.”"
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation.
- id: ev:3
  type: summary
  locator: lines 1021-1027
  quote_or_summary: The passage says the child’s ecstasies became publicly known and
    that his father conferred the honorific title Khudāvendgār, glossed as “My Lord.”
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
  type: summary
  locator: lines 1030-1047
  quote_or_summary: Sultan Veled relates that at Balkh, when Jelāl was six, he was
    on the roof reciting the Qur’ān with other children; when they proposed jumping
    to a neighboring terrace, he called that suitable for animals and suggested springing
    to the firmament and visiting God’s realm.
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
  type: summary
  locator: lines 1047-1056
  quote_or_summary: As Jelāl spoke, he vanished; the frightened children cried out,
    he returned instantly with altered expression and blanched cheeks, and the children
    uncovered, fell to the earth, and declared themselves his disciples.
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
  type: summary
  locator: lines 1057-1064
  quote_or_summary: Jelāl says visible forms in green raiment led him away, conducted
    him through concentric celestial orbs and zodiacal signs, showed him wonders of
    the spirit world, and brought him back when the children’s cries reached him.
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
  type: summary
  locator: lines 1065-1067
  quote_or_summary: At that age he was said to break his fast only once in three or
    four days, and sometimes in seven days.
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
  type: summary
  locator: lines 1070-1090
  quote_or_summary: A disciple of Jelāl’s father reports Bahā Veled’s public claim
    that Jelāl was of exalted descent, including royal lineage, hereditary sainthood,
    descent from the Prophet’s line through Es-Sarakhsī, descent from Caliph ‘Alī,
    and royal Balkh and Kh’ārezm ancestry.
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
  type: summary
  locator: lines 1093-1103
  quote_or_summary: At age seven, Jelāl recited Qur’ān chapter cviii each morning
    and wept while reciting its words about abounding good, devotion, slaughtering
    victims, and the enemy without issue.
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:10
  type: summary
  locator: lines 1104-1107
  quote_or_summary: The passage says God one day appeared visibly to Jelāl, and he
    fainted; after regaining consciousness, he heard a voice from heaven.
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:11
  type: quote
  locator: lines 1108-1112
  quote_or_summary: "“O Jelālu-’d-Dīn! By the majesty (jelāl) of Our glory, do thou
    henceforward cease to combat with thyself; for We have exalted thee to the station
    of ocular vision.”"
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation.
- id: ev:12
  type: summary
  locator: lines 1113-1117
  quote_or_summary: Jelāl vows in gratitude to serve the Lord to the end of his days
    and hopes his followers will also attain that high grade of favor and excellence.
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:13
  type: summary
  locator: lines 1118-1126
  quote_or_summary: Two years after his father’s death, Jelāl goes from Qonya to Aleppo
    to study; his professor favors him as Bahā’u-’d-Dīn Veled’s son and an apt scholar,
    others become jealous and complain to the governor, who hides to observe him.
  source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md
  rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
  extraction: high
  motif_candidates: medium
  comparison_claims: high
  notes: Literal extraction is strong because the passage states the episodes directly.
    Motif assignment is partly interpretive, especially where the available taxonomy
    lacks exact labels for visionary commission and ascetic fasting. The comparison
    claim is limited to analogies explicitly made in the passage.
reviewer_status:
  status: needs_review
  reviewer: ''
  reviewed_at: ''
  notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
  Only the supplied passage and metadata were used. Taxonomy references are limited to the provided lists.
  batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
  custom_id=motif_extract:sufi-rumi-mesnevi-book-1-redhouse-gutenberg__l990-l1126
  passage_sha256=e7951acd59ed92f5a3fb1a64d3bf37158dca64050a997b887696ea37ed78a14b