खुचड़ -प्रेमचंद

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

baboo kundanalal kachahari se laute, to dekha ki unaki patniji ek kuanj din se kuchh sag-bhaji le rahi haian. kuanj din palak take ser kahati hai, vah dedh paise de rahi haian. is par kee minat tak vivad hota raha. akhir kuanj din dedh hi paise par raji ho gee. ab tarajoo aur bat ka prashn chhi da. donoan palle barabar n the. ek mean pasanga tha. bat bhi poore n utarate the. p dosin ke ghar se ser aya. sag tul jane ke bad ab ghate ka prashn utha. patniji aur maangati thian, kuanj din kahati thi, 'ab kya ser-do-ser ghate mean hi le logi bahooji.'

khair, adha ghante mean vah sauda poora hua, aur kuanj din phir kabhi n ane ki dhamaki dekar bida huee. kundanalal kh de-kh de yah tamasha dekhate rahe. kuanj din ke jane ke bad patniji lote ka pani laeean to apane kaha, 'aj to tumane jara-sa sag lene mean poore adha ghante laga diye. itani der mean to hajar-paanch ka sauda ho jata. jara-jara se sag ke lie itani th aauy-th aauy karane se tumhara sir bhi nahian dukhata ? '

rameshvari ne kuchh lajjit hokar kaha, 'paise muft mean to nahian ate ! '

'yah thik hai; lekin samay ka bhi kuchh mooly hai. itani der mean tumane b di mushkil se ek dhele ki bachat ki. kuanj din ne bhi dil mean kaha, hoga kahaan ki ganvarin hai. ab shayad bhoolakar bhi idhar n aye.'

'to, phir mujhase to yah nahian ho sakata ki paise ki jagah dhele ka sauda lekar baith jaooan.'

'itani der mean to tumane kam-se-kam 10 panne padhe hote. kal mahari se ghantoan sir mara. parasoan doodhavale ke sath ghantoan shastrarth kiya. zindagi kya inhian batoan mean kharch karane ko di gee hai ?'

kundanalal pray: nity hi patni ko sadupadesh dete rahate the. yah unaka doosara vivah tha. rameshvari ko aye abhi do hi tin mahine hue the. ab tak to b di nanadaji oopar ke kam kiya karati thian. rameshvari ki unase

n pati. usako maloom hota tha, yah mera sarvasv hi lutaye deti haian. akhir vah chali geean. tab se rameshvari hi ghar ki svamini hai; vah bahut chahati hai ki pati ko prasann rakhe. unake isharoan par chalati hai; ek bar jo bat sun leti hai, gaanth baandh leti hai. par roj hi to koee nee bat ho jati hai, aur kundanalal ko use upadesh dene ka avasar mil jata hai. ek din billi doodh pi gee. rameshvari doodh garm karake laee aur svami ke sirahane rakhakar pan bana rahi thi ki billi ne doodh par apana eeshvarapradatt adhikar siddh kar diya. rameshvari yah apaharan svikar n kar saki. rool lekar billi ko itane zor se mara ki vah do-tin ludhakiyaan kha gee. kundanalal lete-lete akhabar padh rahe the. bole 'aur jo mar jati ? '

rameshvari ne dhithaee ke sath kaha, 'to mera doodh kyoan pi gee ? '

'use marane se doodh mil to nahian gaya ?'

'jab koee nukasan kar deta hai, to us par krodh ata hi hai.'

'n ana chahie. pashu ke sath adami bhi kyoan pashu ho jay ? adami aur pashu mean isake siva aur kya antar hai ?'

kundanalal kee minat tak daya, vivek aur shaanti ki shiksha dete rahe. yahaan tak ki bechari rameshvari mare glani ke ro p di. isi bhaanti ek din rameshvari ne ek bhikshuk ko dutkar diya, to baboo sahab ne phir upadesh dena shuroo kiya. bole tumase n utha jata ho, to lao maian de aooan. garib ko yoan n dutkarana chahie.

rameshvari ne tyoriyaan chadhate hue kaha, 'din bhar to taanta laga rahata hai. koee kahaan tak dau de. sara desh bhikhamangoan hi se bhar gaya hai shayad.'

kundanalal ne upeksha ke bhav se muskarakar kaha, 'usi desh mean to tum bhi basati ho ! '

'itane bhikhamange a kahaan se jate haian ? ye sab kam kyoan nahian karate ?'

'koee adami itana nich nahian hota, jo kam milane par bhikh maange.'

haan, apang ho, to doosari bat hai. apangoan ka bhikh ke siva aur kya sahara ho sakata hai ?'

'sarakar inake lie anathalay kyoan nahian khulavati ?'

'jab svarajy ho jayaga, tab shayad khul jayan; abhi to koee asha nahian hai magar svarajy bhi dharm hi se ayega.'

'lakhoan sadhu-sannyasi, pande-pujari muft ka mal u date haian, kya itanav dharm kafi nahian hai ? agar is dharm mean se svarajy milata, to kab ka mil chuka hota.'

'isi dharm ka prasad hai ki hindoo-jati abhi tak jivit hai, nahian kab ki rasatal pahuanch chuki hoti. rom, yoonan, eeran, siriya kisi ka ab nishan bhi nahian hai. yah hindoo-jati hai, jo abhi tak samay ke kroor aghatoan ka samana karati chali jati hai.'

'ap samajhate hoange; hindoo-jati jivit hai. maian to use usi din se mara hua samajhati hooan, jis din se vah adhin ho gee. jivan svadhinata ka nam hai, gulami to maut hai.'

kundanalal ne yuvati ko chakit netroan se dekha, aise vidrohi vichar usamean kahaan se a gaye ? dekhane mean to vah bilakul bholi thi. samajhe, kahian sun-suna liya hoga. kathor hokar bole --'kya vyarth ka vivad karati

ho. lajati to nahian, oopar se aur bak-bak karati ho.'

rameshvari yah phatakar pakar chup ho gee. ek kshan vahaan kh di rahi, phir dhire-dhire kamare se chali gee.

ek din kundanalal ne kee mitroan ki davat ki. rameshvari sabere se rasoee mean ghusi to sham tak sir n utha saki. use yah begar buri maloom ho rahi thi. agar dostoan ki davat karani thi to khana banavane ka koee prabandh kyoan nahian kiya ? sara bojh usi ke sir kyoan dal diya ! usase ek bar poochh to liya hota ki davat karooan ya n karooan. hota tab bhi yahi; jo ab ho raha tha. vah davat ke prastav ka b di khushi se anumodan karati, tab vah samajhati, davat maian kar rahi hooan. ab vah samajh rahi thi, mujhase begar li ja rahi hai. khair, bhojan taiyar hua, logoan ne bhojan kiya aur chale gaye; magar muanshiji muanh phulaye baithe hue the. rameshvari ne kaha, 'tum kyoan nahian kha lete, kya abhi sabera hai ? '

baboo sahab ne aankhean pha dakar kaha, 'kya kha looan, yah khana hai, ya bailoan ki sani ! '

rameshvari ke sir se paanv tak ag lag gee. sara din choolhe ke samane jali; usaka yah puraskar ! boli, 'mujhase jaisa ho saka banaya. jo bat apane bas ki nahian hai, usake lie kya karati ? '

'poo diyaan sab sevar haian !'

'hoangi.'

'kachau di mean itana namak tha kisi ne chhua tak nahian.'

'hoga.'

'halua achchhi tarah bhuna nahian qachaiyaan a rahi thian.'

'ati hoangi.'

'shoraba itana patala tha, jaise chay.'

'hoga.'

'stri ka pahala dharm yah hai ki vah rasoee ke kam mean chatur ho.'

phir upadeshoan ka tar bandha; yahaan tak ki rameshvari oob kar chali gee ! paanch-chh: mahine gujar gaye. ek din kundanalal ke ek door ke sanbandhi unase milane aye. rameshvari ko jyoan hi unaki khabar mili, jalapan ke lie mithaee bheji; aur mahari se kahala bheja aj yahian bhojan kijiega. vah mahashay phoole n samaye. boriya-bandhana lekar pahuanch gaye aur dera dal diya. ek haphta gujar gaya; ap talane ka nam bhi nahian lete. avabhagat mean koee kami hoti, to shayad unhean kuchh chinta hoti; par rameshvari unake seva-satkar mean

ji-jan se lagi huee thi. phir vah bhala kyoan hatane lage. ek din kundanalal ne kaha, 'tumane yah bura rog pala.'

rameshvari ne chauankakar poochha, 'qaisa rog ? '

'inhean tahala kyoan nahian detian ?'

'mera kya biga d rahe haian ?'

'kam-se-kam 10 ki roj chapat de rahe haian. aur agar yahi khatiradari rahi, to shayad jite-ji taleange bhi nahian.'

'mujhase to yah nahian ho sakata ki koee do-char din ke lie a jay, to usake sir ho jaooan. jab tak unaki ichchha ho rahean.'

'aise muftakhoroan ka satkar karana pap hai. agar tumane itana sir n chadhaya hota, to ab tak lanba hua hota. jab din mean tin bar bhojan aur pachasoan bar pan milata hai, to use kutte ne kata hai, jo apane ghar

jay.'

'roti ka chor banana to achchha nahian !'

'kupatr aur supatr ka vichar to kar lena chahie. aise alasiyoan ko khilana-pilana vastav mean unhean zahar dena hai, zahar se to keval pran nikal jate haian; yah khatiradari to atma ka sarvanash kar deti hai. agar

yah hajarat mahine bhar bhi yahaan rah gaye, to phir ziandagi-bhar ke lie bekar ho jayange. phir inase kuchh n hoga aur isaka sara dosh tumhare sir hoga.'

tark ka taanta bandh gaya. pramanoan ki jh di lag gee. rameshvari khisiyakar chali gee. kundanalal usase kabhi santusht bhi ho sakate haian, unake upadeshoan ki varsha kabhi band bhi ho sakati hai, yah prashn usake man mean bar-bar uthane laga.

ek din dehat se bhaians ka taja ghi aya. idhar mahinoan se bazar ka ghi khate-khate nak mean dam ho raha tha. rameshvari ne use khaulaya, usamean lauang dali aur k dah se nikalakar ek mataki mean rakh diya. usaki soandhi-soandhi sugandh se sara ghar mahak raha tha. mahari chauka-bartan karane aee to usane chaha ki mataki chauke se uthakar chhianke ya ale par rakh de. par sanyog ki bat, usane mataki uthaee, to vah usake hath se chhootakar gir p di. sara ghi bah gaya. dhamaka sunakar rameshvari dau di, to mahari kh di ro rahi thi aur mataki choor-choor ho gee thi. t dapakar boli, 'mataki kaise toot gee ? maian teri talab se kat looangi. ram-ram, sara ghi mitti mean mila diya ! teri aankhean phoot gee thian kya ? ya hathoan mean dam nahian tha ? itani door se mangaya, itani mihanat se garm kiya; magar ek booand bhi gale ke niche n gaya. ab kh di bisoor kya rahi hai, ja apana kam kar.'

mahari ne aansoo poanchhakar kaha, bahooji, ab to chook ho gee, chahe talab kato, chahe jan maro. maianne to socha uthakar ale par rakh dooan, to chauka lagaooan. kya janati thi ki bhagy mean yah likha hai. n-jane kisaka muanh

dekhakar uthi thi.'

rameshvari —‘ maian kuchh nahian janati, sab rupaye teri talab se vasool kar looangi. ek rupaya juramana n kiya to kahana.'

mahari—‘ mar jaooangi sarakar, kahian ek paise ka thikana nahian hai.'

rameshvari –‘mar ja ya ji ja, maian kuchh nahian janati.'

mahari ne ek minat tak kuchh socha aur boli, ‘achchha, kat lijiega sarakar. apase sabar nahian hota; maian sabar kar looangi. yahi n hoga, bhookhoan mar jaooangi. jikar hi kaun-sa sukh bhog rahi hooan ki marane ko darooan. samajh

looangi; ek mahina koee kam nahian kiya. adami se b da-b da nukasan ho jata hai, yah to ghi hi tha.'

rameshvari ko ek hi kshan mean mahari par daya a gee ! boli, 'too bhookhoan mar jayagi, to mera kam kaun karega? '

mahari –‘qam karana hoga, khilaiega; n kam karana hoga, bhookhoan mariega. aj se akar ap hi ke dvar par soya karooangi.'

rameshvari –‘sach kahati hooan, aj toone b da nukasan kar dala.‘

mahari –‘maian to ap hi pachhata rahi hooan sarakar.‘

rameshvari –‘ja gobar se chauka lip de, mataki ke tuk de door pheank de.aur bazar se ghi leti a.'

mahari ne khush hokar chauka gobar se lipa aur mataki ke tuk de bator rahi thi ki kundanalal a ge, aur haan di tooti dekhakar bole, 'yah haan di kaise toot gee ? '

rameshvari ne kaha, mahari uthakar oopar rakh rahi thi, usake hath se chhoot p di.'

kundanalal ne chillakar kaha, 'to sab ghi bah gaya ? '

'aur kya kuchh bach bhi raha !'

'tumane mahari se kuchh kaha, nahian ?'

'kya kahati ? usane jan-boojhakar to gira nahian diya.'

'yah nukasan kaun uthayega ?'

'ham uthayeange, aur kaun uthayega. agar mere hi hath se chhoot p dati to kya hath kat leti.'

kundanalal ne oanth chabakar kaha, 'tumhari koee bat meri samajh mean nahian ati. jisane nukasan kiya hai, usase vasool hona chahie. yahi eeshvariy niyam hai. aankh ki jagah aankh, pran ke badale pran yah eesamasih-jaise dayalu purush ka kathan hai. agar dand ka vidhan sansar se uth jay, to yahaan rahe kaun ? sari prithvi rakt se lal ho jay, hatyare dinadaha de logoan ka gala katane lagean. dand hi se samaj ki maryada qayam hai. jis din dand n rahega, sansar n rahega. manu adi smritikar bevakooph nahian the ki dand-nyay ko itana mahattv de gaye. aur kisi vichar se nahian, to maryada ki raksha ke lie dand avashy dena chahie. ye rupaye mahari ko dene p deange. usaki mazadoori katani p degi. nahian to aj usane ghi ka gh da ludhaka diya hai, kal koee aur nukasan kar degi.'

rameshvari ne darate-darate kaha, 'maianne to use kshama kar diya hai.'

kundanalal ne aankhean nikalakar kaha, 'lekin maian nahian kshama kar sakata.'

mahari dvar par kh di yah vivad sun rahi thi. jab usane dekha ki kundanalal ka krodh badhata jata hai aur mere karan rameshvari ko ghu dakiyaan sunani p d rahi haian, to vah samane jakar boli, 'babooji, ab to kasoor ho

gaya. ab sab rupaye meri talab se kat lijie. rupaye nahian haian, nahian to abhi lakar apake hath par rakh deti.'

rameshvari ne use ghu dakakar kaha, 'za bhag yahaan se, too kya karane aee. b di rupayevali bani hai ! '

kundanalal ne patni ki or kathor netroan se dekhakar kaha, 'tum kyoan usaki vakalat kar rahi ho. yah moti-si bat hai aur ise ek bachcha bhi samajhata hai ki jo nukasan karata hai, use usaka dand bhogana p data hai.

maian kyoan paanch rupaye ka nukasan uthaooan ? bevajah ? kyoan nahian isane matake ko sanbhalakar pak da, kyoan itani jaldabaji ki, kyoan tumhean bulakar madad nahian li ? yah saf isaki laparavahi hai.'yah kahate hue kundanalal bahar chale gaye.

rameshvari is apaman se ahat ho uthi. d aautana hi tha, to kamare mean bulakar ekant mean d aautate. mahari ke samane use ruee ki tarah dhun dala. usaki samajh hi mean n ata tha, yah kis svabhav ke adami haian. aj ek

bat kahate haian, kal usi ko katate haian, jaise koee jhakki adami ho. kahaan to daya aur udarata ke avatar banate the, kahaan aj paanch rupaye ke lie pran dene lage. b da maja a jay, kal mahari baith rahe. kabhi to inake mukh se prasannata ka ek shabd nikala hota ! ab mujhe bhi apana svabhav badalana p dega. yah sab mere sidhe hone ka phal hai. jyoan-jyoan maian tarah deti hooan, ap jame se bahar hote haian. isaka ilaj yahi hai ki ek kahean, to do sunaooan. akhir kab tak aur kahaan tak sahooan. koee had bhi hai ! jab dekho d aaut rahe haian. jisake mizaj ka kuchh pata hi n ho, use kaun khush rakh sakata hai. us din jara-sa billi ko mar diya, to ap daya ka upadesh karane lage. aj vah daya kahaan gee. unako thik karane ka upay yahi hai ki samajh looan, koee kutta bhooank raha hai. nahian, aisa kyoan karooan. apane man se koee kam hi n karooan; jo yah kahean, vahi karooan; n jau-bhar kam, n jau-bhar zyada. jab inhean mera koee kam pasand nahian ata, mujhe kya kutte ne kata hai, jo barabas

apani taang a daooan. bas, yahi thik hai. vah rat-bhar isi udhe dabun mean p di rahi. sabere kundanalal nadi snan

karane gaye. laute, to 9 baj gaye the. ghar mean jakar dekha, to chauka-bartan n hua tha. pran sookh gaye. poochha, 'kya mahari nahian ayi ? '

rame.—‘ nahian.'

kundan. —‘ –‘to phir ? '

rame.—‘ –‘zo apaki ajna.'

kundan. —‘ –‘yah to b di mushkil hai.'

rame.—‘ –‘haan, hai to.'

kundan. —‘ –‘p dos ki mahari ko kyoan n bula liya ? '

rame.—‘ qisake hukm se bulati; ab hukm hua hai, bulaye leti hooan.'

kundan. —‘ ab bulaogi, to khana kab banega ? nau baj gaye aur itana to tumhean apani akl se kam lena chahie tha ki mahari nahian ayi to p dosavali ko bula lean.'

rame.—‘ agar us vakt sarakar poochhate, kyoan doosari mahari bulaee, to kya javab deti ? apani akl se kam lena chho d diya. ab tumhari hi akl se kam looangi. maian yah nahian chahati ki koee mujhe aankhean dikhaye.

kundan. —‘ achchha, to is vakt kya hoga ? '

rame.—‘ zo huzoor ka hukm ho.'

kundan. —‘ tum mujhe banati ho.'

rame.—‘ meri itani majal ki ap ko banaooan ! maian to huzoor ki lauandi hooan. jo kahie, vah karooan.'

kundan. —‘ maian to jata hooan, tumhara jo ji chahe karo.'

rame.—‘ zaie, mera ji kuchh n chahega aur n kuchh karooangi.'

kundan. —‘ akhir tum kya khaogi ? '

rame.—‘ zo ap deange, vahi kha looangi.'

kundan. —‘ lao, bazar se poo diyaan la dooan.'

rameshvari rupaya nikal laee. kundanalal poo diyaan laye. is vakt ka kam chala. daftar gaye. laute, to der ho gayi thi. ate-hi-ate poochha, 'mahari ayi ? '

rame.—‘ nahian.'

kundan. —‘ maianne to kaha, tha, p dosavali ko bula lena.'

rame.—‘ bulaya tha. vah paanch rupaye maangati hai.'

kundan. —‘ to ek hi rupaye ka farq tha, kyoan nahian rakh liya ? '

rame.—‘ mujhe yah hukm n mila tha. mujhase javab-talab hota ki ekarupaya zyada kyoan de diya, kharch ki kiphayat par upadesh diya jane lagata, to kya karati.'

kundan. —‘ tum bilakul moorkh ho.'

rame.—‘ bilakul.'

kundan. —‘ to is vakt bhi bhojan n banega ? '

rame.—‘ majaboori hai.'

kundanalal sir thamakar charapaee par baith gaye. yah to nayi vipatti gale p di. poo diyaan unhean ruchati n thian. ji mean bahut jhuanjhalaye. rameshvari ko do-char ulti-sidhi sunayian, lekin usane mano suna hi nahian. kuchh bas n

chala, to mahari ki talash mean nikale. jisake yahaan gaye, maloom hua, mahari kam karane chali gayi. akhir ek kahar mila. use bula laye. kahar ne do ane liye aur bartan dhokar chalata bana.

rameshvari ne kaha, 'bhojan kya banega ? '

kundan. —‘ roti-tarakari bana lo, ya isamean kuchh apatti hai ? '

rame.—‘ tarakari ghar mean nahian hai.'

kundan. —‘ din bhar baithi rahian, tarakari bhi n lete bani ? ab itani rat gaye tarakari kahaan milegi ?

rame.—‘ mujhe tarakari le rakhane ka hukm n mila tha. maian paisa-dhela zyada de deti to ? '

kundanalal ne vivashata se daant pisakar kaha, 'akhir tum kya chahati ho ? '

rameshvari ne shant bhav se javab diya 'quchh nahian, keval apaman nahian chahati.'

kundan. —‘ tumhara apaman kaun karata hai ?

rame.—‘ ap karate haian.'

kundan. —‘ to maian ghar ke mamale mean kuchh n bolooan ? '

rame.—‘ ap n boleange, to kaun bolega ? maian to keval hukm ki tabedar hooan.'

rat roti-dal par kati. donoan adami lete. rameshvari ko to turant niand a gayi. kundanalal b di der tak karavatean badalate rahe. agar rameshvari is tarah sahayog n karegi, to ek din bhi kam n chalega. aj hi b di

mushkil se bhojan mila. isaki samajh hi ulati hai. maian to samajhata hooan, yah samajhati hai, d aaut raha hooan. mujhase bina bole raha bhi to nahian jata. lekin agar bolane ka yah natija hai, to phir bolana phijool hai. nukasan hoga, bala se; yah to n hoga ki daftar se akar bazar bhagooan. mahari se rupaye vasool karane ki bat ise buri lagi aur thi bhi beja. rupaye to n mile, ulate mahari ne kam chho d diya.

rameshvari ko jagakar bole 'qitana soti ho tum ? '

rame.—‘ majooroan ko achchhi niand ati hai.'

kundan. —‘ chidhao mat, mahari se rupaye n vasool karana.'

rame.—‘ vah to liye kh di hai shayad.'

kundan. —‘ use maloom ho jayaga, to kam karane ayegi.'

rame.—‘ achchhi bat hai kahala bhejooangi.'

kundan. —‘ aj se maian kan pak data hooan, tumhare bich mean n bolooanga.'

rame.—‘ aur jo maian ghar luta dooan to ? '

kundan. —‘ luta do, chahe mita do, magar rootho mat. agar tum kisi bat mean meri salah poochhogi, to de dooanga; varana muanh n kholooanga.'

rame.—‘ maian apaman nahian sah sakati.'

kundan. —‘ is bhool ko kshama karo.'

rame.—‘ sachche dil se kahate ho n ? '

kundan. —‘ sachche dil se.'

sanbandhit lekh

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