सभ्यता का रहस्य -प्रेमचंद

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

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yoan to meri samajh mean duniya ki ek hazar ek batean nahian ati—jaise log prat:kal uthate hi baloan par chhura kyoan chalate haian ? kya ab purushoan mean bhi itani najakat a gayi hai ki baloan ka bojh unase nahian sanbhalata ? ek sath hi sabhi padhe-likhe adamiyoan ki aankhean kyoan itani kamazor ho gayi hai ? dimag ki kamazori hi isaka karan hai ya aur kuchh? log khitaboan ke pichhe kyoan itane hairan hote haian ? ityadi—lekin is samay mujhe in batoan se matalab nahian. mere man mean ek naya prashn uth raha hai aur usaka javab mujhe koee nahian deta. prashn yah hai ki sabhy kaun hai aur asabhy kaun ? sabhyata ke lakshan kya haian ? sarasari najar se dekhie, to isase zyada asan aur koee saval hi n hoga. bachcha-bachcha isaka samadhan kar sakata hai. lekin jara gaur se dekhie, to prashn itana asan nahian jan p data. agar kot-pataloon pahanana, taee-hait kalar lagana, mej par baithakar khana khana, din mean terah bar koko ya chay pina aur sigar pite hue chalana sabhyata hai, to un goroan ko bhi sabhy kahana p dega, jo s dak par baithakar sham ko kabhi-kabhi tahalate najar ate haian; sharab ke nashe se aankhean surkh, pair l dakh date hue, rasta chalanevaloan ko anayas chhe dane ki dhun ! kya un goroan ko sabhy kaha ja sakata hai ? kabhi nahian. to yah siddh hua ki sabhyata koee aur hi chiz hai, usaka deh se itana sambandh nahian hai jitana man se.

2

mere ine-gine mitroan mean ek ray ratanakishor bhi haian. ap bahut hi sahriday, bahut hi udar, bahut shikshit aur ek b de ohadedar haian. bahut achchha vetan pane par bhi unaki amadani kharch ke lie kafi nahian hoti. ek chauthaee vetan to bangale hi ki bheant ho jati hai. isalie ap bahudha chiantit rahate haian. rishvat to nahian lete—kam-se-kam maian nahian janata, halaanki kahane vale kahate haian—lekin itana janata hooan ki vah bhatta badhane ke lie daure par bahut rahate haian, yahaan tak ki isake lie har sal bajat ki kisi doosare mad se rupaye nikalane p date haian. unake aphasar kahate haian, itane daure kyoan karate ho, to javab dete haian, is zile ka kam hi aisa hai ki jab tak khoob daure n kie jaean riaya shaant nahian rah sakati. lekin maja to yah hai ki ray sahab utane daure vastav mean nahian karate, jitane ki apane rojanamache mean likhate haian. unake p dav shahar se pachas mil par hote haian. kheme vah aauan g de rahate haian, kaianp ke amale vahaan p de rahate haian aur ray sahab ghar par mitroan ke sath gap-shap karate rahate haian, par kisi ki majal hai ki ray sahab ki nekaniyati par sandeh kar sake. unake sabhy purush hone mean kisi ko shanka nahian ho sakati.

ek din maian unase milane gaya. us samay vah apane ghasiyare dam di ko daant rahe the. dam di rat-din ka naukar tha, lekin ghar roti khane jaya karata tha. usaka ghar tho di hi door par ek gaanv mean tha. kal rat ko kisi karan se yahaan n a saka. isalie daant p d rahi thi.

ray sahab—jab ham tumhean rat-din ke lie rakhe hue haian, to tum ghar par kyoan rahe ? kal ke paise kat jayeange.

dam di—hajoor, ek mehaman a gaye the, isi se n a saka.

ray sahab—to kal ke paise usi mehaman se lo.

dam di—sarakar, ab kabhi aisi khata n hogi.

ray sahab—bak-bak mat karo.

dam di—hajoor......

ray sahab—do rupaye juramana.

dam di rota chala gaya. roja bakhshane aya tha, namaz gale p d gayi. do rupaye juramana thuk gaya. khata yahi thi ki bechara kasoor maph karana chahata tha.

yah ek rat ko gairahazir hone ki saza thi ! bechara din-bhar ka kam kar chuka tha, rat ko yahaan soya n tha, usaka dand ! aur ghar baithe bhatte u danevale ko koee nahian poochhata ! koee dand nahian deta. dand to mile aur aisa mile ki ziandagi-bhar yad rahe; par pak dana to mushkil hai. dam di bhi agar hoshiyar hota, to jara rat rahe akar kothari mean so jata. phir kise khabar hoti ki vah rat ko kahaan raha. par garib itana chant n tha.

3

dam di ke pas kul chh: bisve zamin thi. par itane hi praniyoan ka kharch bhi tha. usake do l dake, do l dakiyaan aur stri, sab kheti mean lage rahate the, phir bhi pet ki rotiyaan nahian mayassar hoti thian. itani zamin kya sona ugal deti ! agar sab-ke-sab ghar se nikal mazadoori karane lagate, to aram se rah sakate the; lekin mauroosi kisan mazadoor kahalane ka apaman n sah sakata tha. is badanami se bachane ke lie do bail baandh rakhe the ! usake vetan ka b da bhag bailoan ke dane-chare hi mean u d jata tha. ye sari takaliphean manjoor thian, par kheti chho dakar mazadoor ban jana manjoor n tha. kisan ki jo pratishtha hai, vah kahian mazadoor ki ho sakati hai, chahe vah rupaya roj hi kyoan n kamaye ? kisani ke sath mazadoori karana itane apaman ki bat nahian, dvar par bandhe hue bail hue bail usaki man-raksha kiya karate haian, par bailoan ko bechakar phir kahaan muanh dikhalane ki jagah rah sakati hai !

ek din ray sahab use saradi se kaanpate dekhakar bole—kap de kyoan nahian banavata ? kaanp kyoan raha hai ?

dam di—sarakar, pet ki roti to poora hi nahian p dati, kap de kahaan se banavaooan ?

ray sahab—bailoan ko bech kyoan nahian dalata ? saik doan bar samajha chuka, lekin n-jane kyoan itani moti-si bat teri samajh mean nahian ati.

dam di—sarakar, biradari mean kahian muanh dikhane layaq n rahooanga. l daki ki sagaee n ho payegi, tat bahar kar diya jaooanga.

ray sahab—inhian himakatoan se tum logoan ki yah durgati ho rahi hai. aise adamiyoan par daya karana bhi pap hai. (meri taraph phir kar) kyoan muanshiji, is pagalapan ka bhi koee ilaj hai ? ja doan mar rahe haian, par daravaze par bail zaroor baandheange.

maianne kaha—janab, yah to apani-apani samajh hai.

ray sahab—aisi samajh ko door se salam kijie. mere yah aauan kee pushtoan se janmashtami ka utsav manaya jata tha. kee hazar rupayoan par pani phir jata tha. gana hota tha; davatean hoti thian, rishtedaroan ko nyote diye jate the, gariboan ko kap de baante jate the. valid sahab ke bad pahale hi sal maianne utsav band kar diya. fayada kya ? muft mean char-paanch hazar ki chapat khani p dati thi. sare kasabe mean vavela macha, avajean kasi gayian, kisi ne nastik kaha, kisi ne eesaee banaya lekin yahaan in batoan ki kya parava ! akhir tho de hi dinoan mean sara kolahal shant ho gaya. aji, b di dillagi thi. kasabe mean kisi ke yahaan shadi ho, lak di mujhase le ! pushtoan se yah rasm chali ati thi. valid to doosaroan se darakht mol lekar is rasm ko nibhate the. thi himakat ya nahian ? maianne phauran lak di dena band kar diya. is par bhi log bahut roye-dhoye, lekin doosaroan ka rona-dhona sunooan, ya apana fayada dekhooan. lak di se kam-se-kam 500)rupaye salana ki bachat ho gayi. ab koee bhoolakar bhi in chijoan ke lie dik karane nahian ata.

mere dil mean phir saval paida hua, donoan mean kaun sabhy hai, kul-pratishtha par pran denevale moorkh dam di; ya dhan par kul-maryada ko bali denevale ray ratan kishor !

ray sahab ke ijalas mean ek b de marke ka mukadama pesh tha. shahar ka ek rees khoon ke mamale mean phans gaya tha. usaki jamanat ke lie ray sahab ki khushamadean hone lagian. ijjat ki bat thi. rees sahab ka hukm tha ki chahe riyasat bik jay, par is mukadame se bedag nikal jaooan. daliy aauan lagaee gayian, sipharishean pahuanchaee gayian, par ray sahab par koee asar n hua. rees ke adamiyoan ko pratyaksh roop se rishvat ki charcha karane ki himmat n p dati thi. akhir jab koee bas n chala, to rees ki stri se milakar sauda patane ki thani.

rat ke das baje the. donoan mahilaoan mean batean hone lagian. 20 hazar ki batachit thi ! ray sahab ki patni to itani khush hueean ki usi vakt ray sahab ke pas dau di huee ayi aur kahanean lagi—le lo, le lo

ray sahab ne kaha—itani besabr n ho. vah tumhean apane dil mean kya samajheangi ? kuchh apani ijjat ka bhi khayal hai ya nahian ? mana ki rakam b di hai aur isase maian ekabaragi tumhari aye din ki pharamayashoan se mukt ho jaooanga, lekin ek siviliyan ki ijjat bhi to koee mamooli chiz nahian hai. tumhean pahale big dakar kahana chahie tha ki mujhase aisi bedoodi batachit karani ho, to yahaan se chali jao. maian apane kanoan se nahian sunana chahati.

stri—yah to maianne pahale hi kiya, big dakar khoob khari-khoti sunayian. kya itana bhi nahian janati ? bechari mere pairoan par sar rakhakar rone lagi.

5

ray sahab—yah kaha tha ki ray sahab se kahooangi, to mujhe kachcha hi chaba jayeange ?

yah kahate hue ray sahab ne gadagad hokar patni ko gale laga liya.

stri—aji, maian n-jane aisi kitani hi batean kah chuki, lekin kisi tarah tale nahian talati. ro-rokar jan de rahi hai.

ray sahab—usase vada to nahian kar liya ?

stri—vada ? maian rupaye lekar sandook mean rakh ayi. not the.

ray sahab—kitani jabaradast ahamak ho, n maloom eeshvar tumhean kabhi samajh bhi dega ya nahian.

stri—ab kya dega ? dena hota, to de n di hoti.

ray sahab—haan maloom to aisa hi hota hai. mujhase kaha tak nahian aur rupaye lekar sandook mean dakhil kar lie ! agar kisi tarah bat khul jay, to kahian ka n rahooan.

stri—to bhaee, soch lo. agar kuchh g dab d ho, to maian jakar rupaye lauta dooan.

ray sahab—phir vahi himakat ! are, ab to jo kuchh hona tha, ho chuka. eeshvar par bharosa karake jamanat leni p degi. lekin tumhari himakat mean shak nahian. janati ho, yah saanp ke muanh mean uangali dalana hai. yah bhi janati ho ki mujhe aisi batoan se kitani napharat hai, phir bhi besabr ho jati ho. abaki bar tumhari himakat se mera vrat toot raha hai. maianne dil mean than liya tha ki ab is mamale mean hath n dalooanga, lekin tumhari himakat ke mare jab meri kuchh chalane bhi paye ?

stri—maian jakar lautaye deti hooan.

ray sahab—aur maian jakar zahar khaye leta hooan.

idhar to stri-purush mean yah abhinay ho raha tha, udhar dam di usi vakt apane gaanv ke mukhiya ke khet se juar kat raha tha. aj vah rat-bhar ki chhutti lekar ghar gaya tha. bailoan ke lie chare ka ek tinaka bhi nahian hai. abhi vetan milane mean kee din ki der thi, mol le n sakata tha. ghar valoan ne din ko kuchh ghas chhilakar khilayi to thi, lekin ooant ke muanh mean jira. utani ghas se kya ho sakata tha. donoan bail bhookhe kh de the. dam di ko dekhate hi donoan pooanchhean kh di karake huankarane lage. jab vah pas gaya to donoan usaki hatheliyaan chatane lage. bechara dam di man masosakar rah gaya. socha, is vakt to kuchh ho nahian sakata, sabere kisi se kuchh udhar lekar chara laooanga.

lekin jab gyarah baje rat usaki aankhean khulian, to dekha ki donoan bail abhi tak naand par kh de haian. chaandani rat thi, dam di ko jan p da ki donoan usaki or upeksha aur yachana ki drishti se dekh rahe haian. unaki kshudha-vedana dekhakar usaki aankhean sajal ho ayian. kisan ko apane bail apane l dakoan ki tarah pyare hote haian. vah unhean pashu nahian, apana mitr aur sahayak samajhata. bailoan ko bhookhe kh de dekhakar niand aankhoan se bhag gayi. kuchh sochata hua utha. hansiya nikali aur chare ki fikr mean chala. gaanv ke bahar bajare aur juar ke khet kh de the. dam di ke hath kaanpane lage. lekin bailoan ki yad ne use uttejit kar diya. chahata, to kee bojh kat sakata tha; lekin vah chori karate hue bhi chor n tha. usane keval utana hi chara kata, jitana bailoan ko rat-bhar ke lie kafi ho. socha, agar kisi ne dekh bhi liya, to usase kah dooanga, bail bhookhe the, isalie kat liya. use vishvas tha ki tho de-se chare ke lie koee mujhe pak d nahian sakata. maian kuchh bechane ke lie to kat nahian raha hooan; phir aisa nirdayi kaun hai, jo mujhe pak d le. bahut karega, apane dam le lega. usane bahut socha. chare ka tho da hona hi use chori ke aparadh se bachane ko kafi tha. chor utana katata, jitana usase uth sakata. use kisi ke phayade aur nukasan se kya matalab ? gaanv ke log dam di ko chara liye jate dekhakar big date zaroor, par koee chori ke ilajam mean n phansata, lekin sanyog se halke ke thane ka sipahi udhar ja nikala. vah p dos ke ek baniye ke yahaan jua hone ki khabar pakar kuchh aianthane ki toh mean aya tha. dam di ko chara sir par uthate dekha, to sandeh hua. itani rat gaye kaun chara katata hai ? ho n ho, koee chori se kat raha hai, daantakar bola—kaun chara lie jata hai ? kh da rah!

dam di ne chaukakar pichhe dekha, to pulis ka sipahi ! hath-paanv phool gaye, kaanpate hue bola—huzoor, tho da hi-sa kata hai, dekh lijie.

sipahi—tho da kata ho ya bahut, hai to chori. khet kisaka hai ?

dam di—baladev mahato ka.

sipahi ne samajha tha, shikar phansa, isase kuchh aianthanga; lekin vahaan kya rakha tha. pak dakar gaanv mean laya aur jab vahaan bhi kuchh hatthe chadhata n dikhaee diya to thane le gaya. thanedar ne chalan kar diya. mukadama ray sahab hi ke ijalas mean pesh kiya.

ray sahab ne dam di ko phanse hue dekha, to hamadardi ke badale kathorata se kam liya. bole—yah meri badanami ki bat hai. tera kya big da, sal-chh: mahine ki saza ho jayegi, sharminda to mujhe hona p d raha hai ! log yahi to kahate hoange ki ray sahab ke adami aise badamash aur chor haian. too mera naukar n hota, to maian halaki saza deta; lekin too mera naukar hai, isalie k di-se-k di saza dooanga. maian yah nahian sun sakata ki ray sahab ne apane naukar ke sath riayat ki.

yah kahakar ray sahab ne dam di ko chh: mahine ki sakht kaid ka hukm suna diya.

usi din unhoanne khoon ke mukadame mean jamanat le li. maianne donoan vrittant sune aur mere dil mean yah khyal aur bhi pakka ho gaya ki sabhyata keval hunar ke sath aib karane ka nam hai. ap bure-se- bura kam karean, lekin agar ap us par parada dal sakate haian, to ap sabhy haian, sajjan haian, jentilamain haian. agar ap mean yah sifat nahian to ap asabhy haian, ganvar haian, badamash haian. yah sabhyata ka rahasy hai.

sanbandhit lekh

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