Through the excellence of his devoted service, Ayaz became beloved to Mahmud; he showed such absolute devotion as a servant that he virtually became the master.

This couplet draws upon the classic Persian tale of Sultan Mahmud and his devoted slave Ayaz, capturing the transformative power of selfless love. Ayaz served his master with such purity and complete surrender of ego that he ended up ruling the Sultan's heart, turning the traditional dynamic of master and servant on its head. In mystical thought, it beautifully suggests that when a seeker loses themselves entirely in devoted worship, their sheer humility elevates them to spiritual mastery.