सच्चाई का उपहार -प्रेमचंद

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

tahasili madarasa baraanv ke prathamadhyapak muanshi bhavanisahay ko bagavani ka kuchh vyasan tha. kyariyoan mean bhaanti-bhaanti ke phool aur pattiyaan laga rakhi thian. daravajoan par lataean chadha di thian. isase madarase ki shobha adhik ho gee thi. vah midil kaksha ke l dakoan se bhi apane bagiche ke sianchane aur saf karane mean madad liya karate the. adhikaansh l dake is kam ko ruchi poorvak karate. isase unaka manoranjan hota tha kiantu daraje mean char-paanch l dake jamiandaroan ke the. unamean aisi durjanata thi ki yah manoranjak kary bhi unhean begar pratit hota. unhoanne balyakal se alasy mean jivan vyatit kiya tha. amiri ka jhootha abhiman dil mean bhara hua tha. vah hath se koee kam karana nianda ki bat samajhate the. unhean is bagiche se ghrina thi. jab unake kam karane ki bari ati, to koee-n-koee bahana karake u d jate. itana hi nahian, doosare l dakoan ko bahakate aur kahate, vah ! padhean pharasi, bechean tel ! yadi khurapi-kudal hi karana hai, to madarase mean kitaboan se sir marane ki kya zaroorat ? yahaan padhane ate haian, kuchh majoori karane nahian ate. muanshiji is avajna ke lie unhean kabhi-kabhi dand de dete the. isase unaka dvesh aur bhi badhata tha. aant mean yahaan tak naubat pahuanchi ki ek din un l dakoan ne salah karake us pushpavatika ko vidhvans karane ka nishchay kiya.

das baje madarasa lagata tha, kintu us din vah ath baje hi a gaye aur bagiche mean ghusakar use uja dane lage. kahian paudhe ukha d pheanke kahian kyariyoan ko rauand dala, pani ki niliyaan to d dalian, kyariyoan ki me dean khod dali. mare bhay ke chhati dh dak rahi thi ki kahian koee dekhata n ho. lekin ek chhoti si phulava di ke uj date kitani der lagati hai ? das minat mean hara-bhara bag nasht ho gaya. tab yah l dake shighrata se nikale, lekin daravaze tak ae the ki unhean apane sahapathi ki soorat dikhaee di. yah ek-dubala-patala, daridr aur chatur l daka tha. usaka nam bajabahadur tha. b da gambhir, shaant l daka tha. oodham parti ke l dake usase jalate the. use dekhate hi unaka rakt sookh gaya. vishvas ho gaya ki isane zaroor dekh liya. yah muanshiji se kahe bina n rahega. bure phanse. aj kushal nahian hai. yah rakshas is samay yahaan kya karane aya tha ? apas mean ishare hue ki mila lena chahie. jagatasianh unaka mukhiya tha. age badhakar bola—aj itane sabere kaise a ge ? hamane to aj tumalogoan ke gale ki phaansi chhu da di. lala bahut dik kiya karate the, yah karo, vah karo. magar yar dekho, kahian muanshiji se j d mat dena, nahian to lene ke dene p d jayange.

jayaram ne kaha—kah kya deange, apane hi to haian. hamane jo kuchh kiya hai, vah sabake lie kiya hai, keval apani hi bhalaee ke lie nahian. chalo yar, tumhean bazar ki sair kara dean, muanh mitha kara dean.

bajabahadur ne kaha—nahian, mujhe aj ghar par path yad karane ka avakash nahian mila. yahian baithakar padhooanga.

jagatasianh—achchha, muanshiji se kahoge to n ?

bajabahadur—maian svayan kuchh n kahooanga, lekin unhoanne mujhase poochha to ?

jagatasianh—kah dena, mujhe nahian maloom.

bajabahadur—yah jhooth mujhase n bola jaega.

jayaram—agar tumane chugali khayi aur hamare oopar mar p di, to ham tumhean pite bina n chho deange.

bajabahadur—hamane kah diya ki chugali n khayange lekin muanshiji ne poochha, to jhooth bhi n boleange.

jayaram—to ham tumhari haddiyaan bhi to d deange.

bajabahadur—isaka tumhean adhikar hai.

das baje jab madarasa laga aur muanshi bhavanisahay ne bag ki yah durdasha dekhi to krodh se ag ho ge. bag uj dane ka itana khed n tha, jitana l dakoan ki shararat ka. yadi kisi saan d ne yah dushkrity kiya hota, to vah keval hath malakar rah jate. kiantu l dakoan ke is atyachar ko sahan n kar sake. jyoan hi l dake daraje mean baith ge, vah tevar badale hue ae aur poochha—yah bag kisane uja da hai ?

kamare mean sannata chha gaya. aparadhiyoan ke cheharoan par havaiyaan u dane lagian. midil kaksha ke 25 vidyarthiyoan mean koee aisa n tha, jo is ghatana ko n janata ho kiantu kisi mean yah sahas n tha ki uthakar saph-saph kah de. sabake-sab sir jhukae maun dharan kie baithe the.

muanshiji ka krodh aur bhi prachand hua. chillakar bole—mujhe vishvas hai ki yah tumhian logoan mean se kisi ki shararat hai. jise maloom ho, spasht kah de, nahian to maian ek sire se pitana shuroo karooanga, phir koee yah n kahe ki ham niraparadh mare ge.

ek l daka bhi n bola. vahi sannata ! muanshiji—deviprasad, tum janate ho ?

devi—ji nahian, mujhe kuchh nahian maloom.

‘shivadatt, tum janate ho ?’

‘ji nahian, mujhe kuchh nahian maloom.’

‘bajabahadur, tum kabhi jhooth nahian bolate, tumhean maloom hai ?’

bajabahadur kh da ho gaya, usake mukh-mandal par viratv ka prakash tha. netroan mean sahas jhalak raha tha. bola-ji haan !

muanshiji ne kaha—shabash!

aparadhiyoan ne bajabahadur ki or raktavarn aankhoan se dekha aur man mean kaha—achchha !

bhavanisahay b de dhairyavan manushy the. yathashakti l dakoan ko yatana nahian dete the, kintu aisi dushtata ka dand dene mean vah lesh-matr bhi daya n dikhate the. chh di mangakar paanchoan aparadhiyoan ko das-das chh diyaan lagayian, sare din beanch par kh da rakha aur chal-chalan ke rajistar mean unake nam ke samane kale chihn bana die.

bajabahadur se shararat parti vale l dake yoan hi jala karate the, aj usaki sachaee ke karan usake khoon ke pyase ho ge. yantrana mean sahanubhooti paida karane ki shakti hoti hai. is samay daraje ke adhikaansh l dake aparadhiyoan ke mitr ho rahe the. unamean shadyantr racha jane laga ki aj bajabahadur ki khabar li jay. aisa maro ki phir madarase mean muanh n dikhae. yah hamare ghar ka bhedi hai.

dagabaj ! b da sachche ki dum bana hai ! aj is sachaee ka hal maloom ho jayaga. bechare bajabahadur ko is gupt lila ki jara bhi khabar n thi. vidrohiyoan ne use aandhakar mean rakhane ka poora yatn kiya tha.

chhutti hone ke bad bajabahadur ghar ki taraph chala. raste mean ek amarood ka bag tha. vahaan jagatasianh aur jayaram kee ladakoan ke sath kh de the. bajabahadur chauanka, samajh gaya ki yah log mujhe chhe dane par utaroo haian. kiantu bachane ka koee upay n tha. kuchh hichakata hua age badha. jagat sianh bola—ao lala ! bahut rah dikhayi! ao, sachaee ka inam lete jao.

bajabahadur—raste se hat jao, mujhe jane do.

jayaram—jara sachaee ka maja to chakhate jaie.

bajabahadur—maianne tumase kah diya ki jab mera nam lekar poochheange to maian kah dooanga.

jayaram—hamane bhi to kah diya tha ki tumhean is kam ka inam diye bina n chho deange.

yah kahate hi vah bajabahadur ki taraph ghooansa tanakar badha. jagat sianh ne usake donoan hath pak dane chahe. jayaram ka chhota bhaee shivaram amarood ki ek tahani lekar jhapata. shesh l dake charoan taraph kh de hokar tamasha dekhane lage yah ‘rijarv’ sena thi, jo avashyakata p dane par mitr-dal ki sahayata ke lie taiyar thi. bajabahadur durbal l daka tha. usaki marammat karane ko vah tin mazaboot l dake kafi the. sab log yahi samajh rahe the ki kshan-bhar mean yah tinoan use gira leange. bajabahadur ne dekha ki shatruoan ne shastr-prahar karana shuroo kar diya, to usane kanakhiyoan se idhar-udhar dekha. tab teji se jhapatakar shivaram ke hath se amarood ki tahani chhin li aur do qadam pichhe hatakar tahani tane hue bola—tum mujhe sachaee ka inam ya, saza denevale kaun hote ho ?

donoan or se daanv peanch hoanne lage. bajabahadur tha to kamazor, par atyant chapal aur satark tha, us par saty ka vishvas hriday ko aur bhi balavan banae hue tha. saty chahe sir kata de, lekin qadam pichhe nahian hatata. kee minat tak bajabahadur uchhal-uchhalakar var karata aur hatata raha. lekin amarood ki tahani kahaan tak tham sakati. jara der mean usaki dhajjiyaan u d geean. jab tak usake hath mean vah hari talavar rahi koee usake nikat ane ki himmat n karata tha. nihattha hone par bhi vah thokaro aur ghooansoan se jabav deta raha. magar aant mean adhik sankhya ne vijay payi. bajabahadur ki pasali mean jayaram ka ek ghooansa aisa p da ki vah bedam hokar gir p da. aankhean pathara geean aur moorchchha-si a gee. shatruoan ne yah dasha dekhi, to unake hathoan ke tote u d ge. samajhe, isaki jan nikal gee. betahasha bhage.

koee das minat ke pichhe bajabahadur sachet hua. kaleje par chot lag gee thi. ghav ochha p da tha, jis par bhi kh de hone ki shakti n thi. sahas karake utha aur lang data hua ghar ki or chala.

udhar yah vijayidal bhagate-bhagate jayaram ke makan par pahuancha. raste hi mean sara dal titar-bitar ho gaya. koee idhar se nikal bhaga, koee udhar se, kathin samasya a p di thi. jayaram ke ghar tak keval tin sudridh l dake pahuanche.v haan pahuanchakar unaki jan mean jan ayi.

jayaram—kahian mar n gaya ho, mera ghooansa khoob baith gaya tha.

jagatasianh tumhean pasali mean nahian marana chahie tha. agar tilli phat gee hogi to n bachega !

jayaram— yar, maianne jan ke tho de hi mara tha. sanyog hi tha. ab batao, kya kiya jae ?

jagatasianh— karana kya hai, chupachap baithe raho.

jayaram— kahian maian akela to n phasooanga ?

jagatasianh— akele kaun phansega, sabake sab sath chaleange.

jayaram— agar bajabahadur mara nahian hai, to uthakar sidhe muanshiji ke pas jaega!

jagatasianh— aur muanshiji kal ham logoan ki khal avashy udhe deange.

jayaram— isalie mera salah hai ki kal se madarase jao hi nahian. nam kata ke doosari jagah chale chalean, nahian to bimari ka bahana karake baithe rahean. mahine-do-mahine ke bad jab mamala thanda p d jaega, to dekha jaega.

shivaram— aur jo pariksha hone vali hai ?

jayaram— o ho ! isaka to khayal hi n tha. ek hi mahina to aur rah gaya hai.

jagatasianh tumhean abaki zaroor vajipha milata.

jayaram— haan, maianne bahut parishram kiya tha. to phir ?

jagatasianh— kuchh nahian, taraqqi to ho hi jaegi. vajiphe se hath dhona p dega. jayaram— bajabahadur ke hath lag jaega.

jagatasianh— bahut achchha hoga, bechare ne mar bhi to khayi hai.

doosare din madarasa laga. jagatasianh, jayaram aur shivaram tinoan gayab the. valimuhammad pair mean patti baandh aye the, lekin bhay ke mare bura hal tha. kal ke darshakagan bhi tharathara rahe the ki kahian ham log gehooan ke sath ghun ki tarah n pis jayan. bajabahadur niyamanusar apane kam mean laga hua tha. aisa maloom hota tha ki mano use kal ki batean yad hi nahian hai. kisi se unaki charcha n ki. haan, aj vah apane svabhav ke pratikool kuchh prasannachitt dekh p data tha. visheshatah kal ke yoddhaoan se vah adhik hila-mila hua tha. vah chahata tha ki yah log meri or se niahshank ho jayan. rat-bhar ki vivechana ke pashchath usane yahi nishchay kiya tha aur aj jab sandhya samay vah ghar chala, to use apani udarata ka phal mil chuka tha. usake shatru lajjit the aur usaki prashansa karate the.

magar yah tinoan aparadhi doosare din bhi n aye, tisare din bhi unaka koee pata n tha. vah ghar se madarase ko chalate, lekin dehat ki taraph nikal jate. vahaan din-bhar kisi vriksh ke niche baithe rahate, athava gulli-dande khelate. sham ko ghar chale ate.

unhoanne yah pata laga liya tha ki samar ke any sabhi yoddhagan madarase ate haian aur muanshiji unase kuchh nahian bolate, kintu chitt se shanka door n hoti thi. bajabahadur ne zaroor kaha hoga. ham logoan ke jane ki der hai. gaye aur bebhav ki p di. yahi sochakar madarase ane ka sahas n kar sakate the.

chauthe din pratahkal tinoan aparadhi baithe soch rahe the ki aj kidhar chalana chahie. itane mean bajabahadur ata hua dikhaee diya. in logoan ko ashchary to hua, parantu use apane dvar par ate dekhakar kuchh asha bandh gee. yah log abhi bolane bhi n pae the ki bajabahadur ne kaha—kyoan mi. tum log madarase kyoan nahian ate ? tinadin se gairahajiri ho rahi hai.

jagatasianh— madarase kya jayan, jan bhari p di hai ? muanshi ji ek haddi bhi to n chho deange.

bajabahadur— kyoan, valimuhammad, durga, sabhi to jate haian. muanshi ji ne kisi se bhi kuchh kaha ?

jayaram— tumane un logoan ko chho d diya hoga, lekin hamean bhala tum kyoan chho dane lage ? tumane ek-ek ki tin-tin j di hogi.

bajabahadur— aj madarase chalakar isaki pariksha hi kar lo.

jagatasianh— yah jhaanse rahane dijie. hamean pitavane ki chal hai.

bajabahadur— to maian kahian bhaga to nahian jata ? us din sachaee ki saza di thi, aj jhooth ka inam dena.

jayaram— sach kahate ho, tumane shikayat nahian ki ?

bajabahadur— shikayat ki kaun bat thi. tumane mujhe mara, maianne tumhean mara. agar tumhara ghooansa n p data, to maian tum logoan ko ranakshetr se bhagakar dam leta. apas ke jhag doan ki shikayat karana meri adat nahian hai.

jagatasianh— chalooan to yar, lekin vishvas nahian ata, tum hamean jhaanse de rahe ho, kachoomar nikalava loge.

bajabahadur— tum janate ho, jhooth bolane ki meri ban nahian hai.

yah shabd bajabahadur ne aisi vishvasotpadak riti se kahe ki un logoan ka bhram door ho gaya. bajabahadur ke chale jane ke pashchath tinoan der tak usaki batoan ki vivechana karate rahe. ant mean yahi nishchay hua ki aj chalana chahie.

thik das baje tinoan mitr madarase pahuanch gaye, kiantu chitt mean ashankit the. chehare ka rang u da hua tha.

muanshiji kamare mean aye. l dakoan ne kh de hokar unaka svagat kiya, unhoanne tinoan ki or tivr drishti se dekhakar keval itana kaha—tum log tin din se gair hajir ho. dekho, daraje mean jo imtahani saval hue haian, unhean nakal kar lo.

phir padhane mean magn ho ge.

jab pani pine ke lie l dakoan ko adh ghante ka avakash mila, to tinoan mitr aur unake sahayogi jama hokar batean karane lage.

jayaram— ham to jan par khelakar madarase se aye the, magar bajabahadur hai bat ka dhani.

valimuhammad— mujhe to aisa maloom hota hai, vah adami nahian, devata hai. yah aankhoan-dekhi bat n hoti, to mujhe kabhi is par vishvas n ata.

jagatasianh— bhalamanasi isi ko kahate haian. hamase b di bhool huee ki usake sath aisa anyay kiya.

durga— chalo, usase kshama maangean.

jayaram— haan, tumhean khoob soojhi. aj hi.

jab madarasa band hua, to daraje ke sab l dake milakar bajabahadur ke pas gaye. jagatasianh unaka neta banakar bola—bhaee sahab, ham sabake-sab tumhare aparadhi haian. tumhare sath ham logoan ne jo atyachar kiya hai, us par ham hriday se lajjit haian. hamara aparadh kshama karo. tum sajjanata ki moorti ho ! ham log ujadd, ganvar aur moorkh haian, hamean ab kshama pradan karo.

bajabahadur ki aankhoan mean aansoo aye, bola—maian pahale bhi tum logoan ko apana bhaee samajhata tha aur ab bhi vahi samajhata hooan. bhaiyoan ke jhag de mean kshama kaisi ?

sabake-sab usase gale mile. isaki charcha sare madarase mean phail gee. sara madarasa bajahabahadur ki pooja karane laga. vah apane madarase ka mukhiya, neta aur siramaur ban gaya.

pahale use sachaee ka dand mila; abaki sachaee ka upahar mila.