अशोक -जयशंकर प्रसाद

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is lekh ka punarikshan evan sampadan hona avashyak hai. ap isamean sahayata kar sakate haian. "sujhav"

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poot-salila bhagirathi ke tat par chandralok mean maharaj chakravarti ashok tahal rahe haian. tho di door par ek yuvak kh da hai. sudhakar ki kiranoan ke sath netr-taraoan ko milakar sthir drishti se maharaj ne kaha-vijayaketu, kya yah bat sach hai ki jain logoan ne hamare bauddh-dharmachary hone ka janasadharan mean pravad phailakar unhean hamare viruddh uttejit kiya hai aur paundravardhan mean ek buddhamoorti to di gayi hai?

vijayaketu-maharaj, kya apase bhi koee jhooth bolane ka sahas kar sakata hai?

ashok-manushy ke kalyan ke liye hamane jitana udyog kiya, kya vah sab vyarth hua? bauddhadharm ko hamane kyoan pradhanata di? isiliye ki shanti phailegi, desh mean dvesh ka nam bhi n rahega, aur usi shanti ki chhaya mean samaj apane vanijy, shilp aur vidya ki unnati karega. par nahian, ham dekh rahe haian ki hamari kamana poorn hone mean abhi anek badhaean haian. hamean pahale unhean hatakar marg prashast karana chahiye.

vijayaketu-dev ! apaki kya ajna hai?

ashok-vijayaketu, bharat mean ek samay vah tha, jab ki isi ashok ke nam se log kaanp uthate the. kyoan? isiliye ki vah b da kathor shasak tha. par vahi ashok jab se bauddh kahakar sarvatr prasiddh hua hai, usake shasan ko log komal kahakar bhoolane lag gaye haian. astu, tumako chahiye ki ashok ka atank ek bar phir phaila do; aur yah ajna pracharit kar do ki jo manushy jainoan ka sathi hoga, vah aparadhi hoga; aur jo ek jain ka sir kat lavega, vah puraskrit kiya javega.

vijayaketu-(kaanpakar) jo maharaj ki ajna!

ashok-jao, shighr jao.

vijayaketu chala gaya. maharaj abhi vahian kh de haian. noopur ka kalanad sunaee p da. ashok ne chauankakar dekha, to bis-pachis dasiyoan ke sath maharani tishyarakshita chali a rahi haian.

ashok-priye! tum yahaan kaise?

tishyarakshita-prananath! sharir se kahian chhaya alag rah sakati hai? bahut der huee, maianne suna tha ki ap a rahe haian; par baithe-baithe ji ghab da gaya ki ane mean kyoan der ho rahi hai. phir dasi se jnat hua ki ap mahal ke niche bahut der se tahal rahe haian. isiliye maian svayan apake darshan ke liye chali aee. ab bhitar chaliye!

ashok-maian to a hi raha tha. achchha chalo.

ashok aur tishyarakshita samip ke sundar prasad ki or badhe. dasiyaan pichhe thian.

bhag 2

rajakiy kanan mean anek prakar ke vriksh, surabhit sumanoan se bhare jhoom rahe haian. kokila bhi kook-kook kar am ki daloan ko hilaye deti hai. nav-vasant ka samagam hai. malayanil ithalata hua kusum-kaliyoan ko thukarata ja raha hai.

isi samay kanan-nikatasth shail ke jharane ke pas baithakar ek yuvak jal-lahariyoan ki tarang-bhangi dekh raha hai. yuvak b de saral vilokan se kritrim jalaprapat ko dekh raha hai. usaki manohar lahariyaan jo bahut hi jaldi-jaldi lin ho srot mean milakar saral path ka anukaran karati haian, use bahut hi bhali maloom ho rahi haian. par yuvak ko yah nahian maloom ki usaki saral drishti aur sundar avayav se vivash hokar ek ramani apane param pavitr pad se chyut hona chahati hai.

dekho, us lata-kuanj mean, pattiyoan ki ot mean, do nilamani ke saman krishnatara chamakakar kisi adrishy ashchary ka pata bata rahe haian. nahian-nahian, dekho, chandrama mean bhi kahian tare rahate haian? vah to kisi sundari ke mukh-kamal ka abhas hai.

yuvak apane anand mean magn hai. use isaka kuchh bhi dhyan nahian hai ki koee vyaghr usaki or alakshit hokar ban chala raha hai. yuvak utha, aur usi kuanj ki or chala. kisi prachchhann shakti ki prerana se vah usi lata-kunj ki or badha. kintu usaki drishti vahaan jab bhitar p di, to vah avakh ho gaya. usake donoan hath ap jut gaye. usaka sir svayan avanat ho gaya.

ramani sthir hokar kh di thi. usake hriday mean udveg aur sharir mean kamp tha. dhire-dhire usake hoanth hile aur kuchh madhur shabd nikale. par ve shabd spasht hokar vayumandal mean lin ho gaye. yuvak ka sir niche hi tha. phir yuvati ne apane ko sambhala, aur boli-kunal, tum yahaan kaise? achchhe to ho?

mataji ki kripa se-uttar mean kunal ne kaha.

yuvati mand muskan ke sath boli-maian tumhean der se yahaan chhip kar dekh rahi hooan.

kunal-maharani tishyarakshita ko chhipakar mujhe dekhane ki kya avashyakata hai?

tishyarakshita-(kuchh kampit svar se) tumhare saundary se vivash hokar.

kunal-(vismit tatha bhayabhit hokar) putr ka saundary to mata hi ka diya hua hai.

tishyarakshita-nahian kunal, maian tumhari prem-bhikharini hooan, rajarani nahian hooan; aur n tumhari mata hooan.

kunal-(kuanj se bahar nikalakar) mataji, mera pranam grahan kijie, aur apane is pap ka shighr prayashchit kijiye. jahaan tak sambhav hoga, ab ap is pap-mukh ko kabhi n dekheangi.

itana kahakar shighrata se vah yuvak rajakumar kunal, apani vimata ki bat sochata hua, upavan ke bahar nikal gaya. par tishyarakshita kiankartavyavimoodh hokar vahian tab tak kh di rahian, jab tak kisi dasi ke bhooshan-shabd ne usaki moh-nidra ko bhang nahian kiya.

3

shrinagar ke samipavarti kanan mean ek kutir ke dvar par kunal baitha hua dhyanamagn hai. usaki sushil patni usi kutir mean kuchh bhojan bana rahi hai.

kutir svachchh tatha usaki bhoomi parishkrit hai. shanti ki prabalata ke karan pavan bhi usi samay dhire-dhire chal raha hai.

kintu vah shanti der tak n rahi, kyoanki ek dau data hua mrigashavak kunal ki god mean a gira, jisase usake dhyan mean vighn hua, aur vah kh da ho gaya. kunal ne us mrigashavak ko dekhakar samajha ki koee vyaghr bhi isake pichhe ata hi hoga. par jab koee use n dekh p da, to usane us mrigashavak ko apani stri ‘dharmarakshita’ ko dekar kaha-priye! kya tum isako bachche ki tarah palogi?

dharmarakshita-prananath, hamare aise vanachariyoan ko aise hi bachche chahiye.

kunal-priye! tumako hamare sath bahut kasht hai.

dharmarakshita-nath, is sthan par yadi sukh n mila, to maian samajhooangi ki sansar mean bhi kahian sukh nahian hai.

kunal-kintu priye, kya tumhean ve sab raj-sukh yad nahian ate? kya unaki smriti tumhean nahian satati? aur, kya tum apani marm-vedana se nikalate hue aansuoan ko rok nahian letian! ya ve sachamuch haian hi nahian?

dharmarakshita-pranadhar! kuchh nahian hai. yah sab apaka bhram hai. mera hriday jitana is shant van mean anandit hai, utana kahian bhi n raha. bhala aise svabhavavardhit, saral-sidhe aur sumanavale sathi kahaan milate? aisi mridula lataean, jo anayas hi charan ko choomati haian, kahaan us janarav se bhare rajakiy nagar mean mili thian? nath, aur sach kahana, (mrig ko choomakar) aisa pyara shishu bhi tumhean aj tak kahian mila tha? tis par bhi apako apani vimata ki kripa se jo du:kh milata tha, vah bhi yahaan nahian hai. phir aisa sukhamay jivan aur kaun hoga?

kunal ke netr aansuoan se bhar aye, aur vah uthakar tahalane lage. dharmarakshita bhi apane kary mean lagi. madhur pavan bhi us bhoomi mean usi prakar chalane laga. kunal ka hriday ashant ho utha, aur vah tahalata hua kuchh door nikal gaya. jab nagar ka samipavarti prant use dikhaee p da, tab vah ruk gaya aur usi or dekhane laga.

bhag 4

paanch-chh: manushy dau date hue chale a rahe haian. ve kunal ke pas pahuanchana hi chahate the ki unake pichhe bis ashvarohi dekh p de. ve sab-ke-sab kunal ke samip pahuanche. kunal chakit drishti se un sabako dekh raha tha.

age dau dakar anevaloan ne kaha-maharaj, ham logoan ko bachaiye.

kunal un logoan ko pichhe karake ap age datakar kh da ho gaya. ve ashvarohi bhi us yuvak kunal ke apoorv tejomay svaroop ko dekhakar sahamakar, usi sthan par kh de ho gaye. kunal ne un ashvarohiyoan se poochha-tum log inhean kyoan sata rahe ho? kya in logoan ne koee aisa kary kiya hai, jisase ye log nyayat: dandabhagi samajhe gaye haian?

ek ashvarohi, jo un logoan ka nayak tha, bola-ham log rajakiy sainik haian, aur raja ki ajna se in vidharmi jainiyoan ka badh karane ke liye aye haian. par ap kaun haian, jo maharaj chakravatrti devapriy ashokadev ki ajna ka virodh karane par udyat haian?

kunal-chakravarti ashok! vah kitana b da raja hai?

nayak-moorkh! kya too abhi tak maharaj ashok ka parakram nahian janata, jinhoanne apane prachand bhujadand ke bal se kaliang-vijay kiya hai? aur, jinaki rajy-sima dakshin mean keral aur malayagiri, uttar mean sindhukosh-parvat, tatha poorv aur pashchim mean kirat-desh aur patal haian! jinaki maitri ke liye yavan-nripati log udyog karate rahate haian, un maharaj ko too bhalibhaanti nahian janata?

kunal-parantu isase bhi b da koee samrajy hai, jisake liye kisi rajy ki maitri ki avashyakata nahian hai.

nayak-is vivad ki avashyakata nahian hai, ham apana kam kareange.

kunal-to kya tum log in anath jivoan par kuchh daya n karoge?

itana kahate-kahate rajakumar ko kuchh krodh a gaya, netr lal ho gaye. nayak us tejasvi moorti ko dekhakar ek bar phir saham gaya.

kunal ne kaha-achchha, yadi tum n manoge, to yahaan ke shasak se jakar kaho ki rajakumar kunal tumhean bula rahe haian.

nayak sir jhukakar kuchh sochane laga. tab usane apane ek sathi ki or dekhakar kaha-jao, in batoan ko kahakar, doosari ajna lekar jald ao.

ashvarohi shighrata se nagar ki or chala. shesh sab log usi sthan par kh de the.

tho di der mean usi or se do ashvarohi ate hue dikhaee p de. ek to vahi tha,jo bheja gaya tha, aur doosara us pradesh ka shasak tha. samip ate hi vah gho de par se utar p da aur kunal ka abhivadan karane ke lie badha. par kunal ne rok kar kaha-bas, ho chuka, maianne apako isaliye kasht diya hai ki in nirih manushyoan ki hiansa ki ja rahi hai.

shasak-rajakumar! apake pita ki ajna hi aisi hai, aur apaka yah vesh kya hai?

kunal-isake poochhane ki koee avashyakata nahian, par kya tum in logoan ko mere kahane se chho d sakate ho?

shasak-(du:khit hokar) rajakumar, apaki ajna ham kaise tal sakate haian, (thaharakar) par ek aur b de du:kh ki bat hai.

kunal-vah kya?

shasak ne ek patr apane pas se nikalakar kunal ko dikhalaya. kunal use padhaqar chup raha, aur tho di der ke bad bola-to tumako is ajna ka palan avashy karana chahiye.

shasak-par, yah kaise ho sakata hai?

kunal-jaise ho, vah to tumhean karana hi hoga.

shasak-kintu rajakumar, apake is dev-sharir ke do netr-ratn nikalane ka bal mere hathoan mean nahian hai. haan, maian apane is pad ka tyag kar sakata hooan.

kunal-achchha, to tum mujhe in logoan ke sath maharaj ke samip bhej do.

shasak ne kaha-jaisi ajna.

bhag 5

paundravardhan nagar mean hahakar macha hua hai. nagar-nivasi pray: udvign ho rahe haian. par visheshakar jain logoan hi mean khalabali machi huee hai. jain-ramaniyaan, jinhoanne kabhi ghar ke bahar pair bhi nahian rakkha tha, chhote shishuoan ko liye hue bhag rahi haian. par jayan kahaan? jidhar dekhati haian, udhar hi sashastr unmatt kal bauddh log unmattoan ki tarah dikhaee p date haian. dekho, vah stri, jisake kesh parishram se khul gaye haian-god ka shishu alag machal kar ro raha hai, thakakar ek vriksh ke niche baith gayi hai; are dekho! dusht nirday vahaan bhi pahuanch gaye, aur us stri ko satane lage.

yuvati ne hath jo dakar kaha-ap log du:kh mat dijiye. phir usane ek-ek karake apane sab abhooshan utar diye aur ve dusht un sab alankaroan ko lekar bhag gaye. idhar vah stri nidra se klant hokar usi vriksh ke niche so gayi.

udhar dekhiye, vah ek rath chala ja raha hai, aur usake parde hatakar bata rahe haian ki usamean stri aur purush tin-char baithe haian. par sarathi us ooanchi-nichi patharili bhoomi mean bhi un logoan ki or bina dhyan diye rath shighrata se liye ja raha hai. soory ki kiranean pashchim mean pili ho gayi haian. charoan or us path mean shanti hai. keval usi rath ka shabd sunaee p data hai, jo abhi uttar ki or chala ja raha hai.

tho di hi der mean vah rath sarovar ke samip pahuancha aur rath ke gho de haanphate hue thakakar kh de ho gaye. ab sarathi bhi kuchh n kar saka aur usako rath ke niche utarana p da.

rath ko ruka janakar bhitar se ek purush nikala aur usane sarathi se poochha-kyoan, tumane rath kyoan rok diya?

sarathi-ab gho de nahian chal sakate.

purush-tab to phir b di vipatti ka samana karana hoga; kyoanki pichha karane vale unmatt sainik a hi pahuancheange.

sarathi-tab kya kiya jay? (sochakar) achchha, ap log is samip ki kuti mean chaliye, yahaan koee mahatma haian, vah avashy ap logoan ko ashray deange.

purush ne kuchh sochakar sab arohiyoan ko rath par se utara, aur ve sab log usi kuti ki or agrasar hue.

kuti ke bahar ek patthar par adhe d manushy baitha hua hai. usaka paridhey vastr bhikshuoan ke saman hai. rath par ke log usi ke samane jakar kh de hue. unhean dekhakar vah mahatma bole-ap log kaun haian aur kyoan aye haian?

usi purush ne age badhaqar, hath jo dakar kaha-mahatmanh-ham log jain haian aur maharaj ashok ki ajna se jain logoan ka sarvanash kiya ja raha hai. at: ham log pran ke bhay se bhag kar anyatr ja rahe haian. par marg mean gho de thak gaye, ab ye is samay chal nahian sakate. kya ap tho di der tak ham logoan ko ashray dijiyega?

mahatma tho di der sochakar bole-achchha, ap log isi kuti mean chale jaiye.

stri-purushoan ne ashray paya.

abhi un logoan ko baithe tho di hi der huee hai ki akasmath ashv-pad-shabd ne sabako chakit aur bhayabhit kar diya. dekhate-dekhate das ashvarohi us kuti ke samane pahuanch gaye. unamean se ek mahatma ki or lakshy karake bola-o bhikshu, kya toone apane yahaan bhage hue jain vidharmiyoan ko ashray diya hai? samajh rakh, too ham logoan se bahana nahian kar sakata, kyoanki unaka rath is bat ka thik pata de raha hai.

mahatma-sainikoan, tum unhean lekar kya karoge? maianne avashy un dukhiyoan ko ashray diya hai. kyoan vyarth nar-rakt se apane hathoan ko ranjit karate ho?

sainik apane sathiyoan ki or dekhakar bola-yah dusht bhi jain hi hai, oopari bauddh bana hua hai; ise bhi maro.

‘ise bhi maro’ ka shabd gooanj utha, aur dekhate-dekhate us mahatma ka sir bhoomi mean lotane laga.

is kand ko dekhate hi kuti ke stri-purush chilla uthe. un nar-pishachoan ne ek ko bhi n chho da! sabaki hatya ki.

ab sab sainik dhan khojane lage. mrit stri-purushoan ke abhooshan utare jane lage. ek sainik, jo us mahatma ki or jhuka tha, chilla utha. sabaka dhyan usi or akarshit hua. sab sainikoan ne dekha, usake hath mean ek aangoothi hai, jis par likha hai, ‘vitashok’!

bhag 6

maharaj ashok ke bhaee, jinaka pata nahian lagata tha, vahi ‘vitashok’ mare gaye! charoan or upadrav shant hai. paundravardhan nagar prashant samudr ki tarah ho gaya hai.

maharaj ashok pataliputr ke samrajy-sianhasan par vicharapati hokar baithe haian. rajasabha ki shobha to kahate nahian banati. suvarn-rachit bel-bootoan ki karigari se, jinamean mani-maniky sthananukool bithaye gaye haian. maury-sianhasan-madandar bharatavarsh ka vaibhav dikha raha hai, jise dekhakar parasik samrat ‘dara’ ke sianhasan-mandir ko grik log tuchchh drishti se dekhate the.

dharmadhikari, pradvivak, mahamaty, dharm-mahamaty rajjuk, aur senapati, sab apane-apane sthan par sthit haian. rajakiy tej ka sannata sabako maun kiye hai.

dekhate-dekhate ek stri aur ek purush us sabha mean aye. sabhasthit sab logoan ki drishti ko purush ke avanat tatha b de-b de netroan ne akarshit kar liya. kintu sab nirav haian. yuvak aur yuvati ne mastak jhukakar maharaja ko abhivadan kiya.

svayan maharaja ne poochha-tumhara nam?

uttar-kunal.

prashn-pita ka nam.

uttar-maharaj chakravarti dharmashok.

sab log utkantha aur vismay se dekhane lage ki ab kya hota hai, par maharaj ka mukh kuchh bhi vikrit n hua, pratyut aur bhi gambhir svar se prashn karane lage.

prashn-tumane koee aparadh kiya hai?

uttar-apani samajh se to maianne aparadh se bachane ka udyog kiya tha.

prashn-phir tum kis tarah aparadhi banaye gaye?

uttar-takshashila ke mahasamant se poochhiye.

maharaj ki ajna hote hi shasak ne abhivadan ke uparant ek patr upasthit kiya, jo ashok ke kar mean pahuancha.

maharaj ne kshan-bhar mean mahamaty se phirakar poochha-yah ajna-patr kaun le gaya tha, use bulaya jay.

patravahak bhi aya aur kampit svar se abhivadan karate hue bola-dharmavatar, yah patr mujhe mahadevi tishyarakshita ke mahal se mila tha, aur ajna huee thi ki ise shighr takshashila ke shasak ke pas pahuanchao.

maharaj ne shasak ki or dekha. usane hath jo dakar kaha-maharaj, yahi ajna-patr lekar gaya tha.

maharaj ne gambhir hokar amaty se kaha-tishyarakshita ko bulao.

mahamaty ne kuchh bolane ki cheshta ki, kintu maharaj ke bhrikutibhang ne unhean bolane se nirast kiya; ab vah svayan uthe aur chale.

bhag 7

mahadevi tishyarakshita rajasabha mean upasthit hueean. ashok ne gambhir svar se poochha-yah tumhari lekhani se likha gaya hai? kya us din tumane isi kukarm ke liye rajamudra chhipa li thi? kya kunal ke b de-b de sundar netroan ne hi tumhean aankhean nikalavane ki ajna dene ke liye vivash kiya tha? avashy tumhara hi yah kukarm hai. astu, tumhari-aisi stri ko prithvi ke oopar nahian, kintu bhitar rahana chahiye.

sab log kaanp uthe. kunal ne age badh ghutane tek diye aur kaha-kshama.

ashok ne gambhir svar se kaha-nahian.

tishyarakshita unhian purushoan ke sath gayi, jo log use jivit samadhi denevale the. mahamaty ne rajakumar kunal ko asan par baithaya aur dharmarakshita mahal mean gayi.

mahamaty ne ek patr aur aangoothi maharaj ko di. yah paundravardhan ke shasak ka patr tatha vitashok ki aangoothi thi.

patr-path karake aur mudra ko dekhakar vahi kathor ashok vihval ho gaye, or avasann hokar sianhasan par gir p de.

usi din se kathor ashok ne hatya ki ajna band kar di, sthan-sthan par jivahiansa n karane ki ajna pattharoan par khudava di gayi.

kuchh hi kal ke bad maharaj ashok ne udvign chitt ko shant karane ke liye bhagavan buddh ke prasiddh sthanoan ko dekhane ke lie dharm-yatra ki.