आखिरी हीला -प्रेमचंद

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

yadyapi meri smaran-shakti prithvi ke itihas ki sari smaraniy tarikhean bhool gayian, vah tarikhean jinhean ratoan ko jagakar aur mastishk ko khapakar yad kiya tha; magar vivah ki tithi samatal bhoomi mean ek stanbh ki bhaanti atal hai. n bhoolata hooan, n bhool sakata hooan. usase pahale aur pichhe ki sari ghatanaean dil mean mit gayian, unaka nishan tak baki nahian. vah sari anekata ek ekata mean mishrit ho gayi hai aur vah mere vivah ki tithi hai. chahata hooan, use bhool jaooan; magar jis tithi ka nity-prati sumiran kiya jata ho, vah kaise bhool jay; nity-prati sumiran kyoan karata hooan, yah us vipatti-mare se poochhie jise bhagavadh-bhajan ke siva jivan ke uddhar ka koee adhar n raha ho.

lekin kya maian vaivahik jivan se isalie bhagata hooan ki mujhamean rasikata ka abhav hai aur maian komal varg ki mohani shakti se nirlipt hooan aur anasakti ka pad prapt kar chuka hooan. kya maian nahian chahata hooan ki jab maian sair karane nikalooan, to hridayeshvari bhi mere sath virajaman hoan. vilas-vastuoan ki dukanoan par unake sath jakar tho di der ke lie rasamay agrah ka anand uthaooan. maian us garv aur anand aur mahatv ka anubhav kar sakata hooan, jo mere any bhaiyoan ki bhaanti mere hriday mean bhi aandolit hoga, lekin mere bhagy mean vah khushiyaan vah rangareliyaan nahian haian.

kyoanki chitr ka doosara paksh bhi to dekhata hooan. ek paksh jitana hi mohak aur akarshak hai, doosara utana hi hridayavidarak aur bhayankar. sham huee aur ap badanasib bachche ko god mean liye tel ya eeandhan ki dukan par kh de haian. aandhera hua aur ap ate ki potali bagal mean dabaye galiyoan mean yoan qadam badhaye hue nikal jate haian, mano chori ki hai. soory nikala aur balakoan ko god mean liye homiyopaith daktar ki dukan mean tooti kursi par aroodh haian. kisi khoanchevale ki rasili avaz sunakar balak ne gaganabhedi vilap aranbh kiya aur apake pran sookhe. aise bapoan ko bhi dekha hai, jo daftar se lautate hue paise-do paise ki mooangaphali ya rev diyaan lekar lajjaspad shighrata ke sath muanh mean rakhate chale jate haian ki ghar pahuanchate-pahuanchate balakoan ke akraman se pahale hi yah padarth samapt ho jay. kitana nirashajanak hota hai yah drishy, jab dekhata hooan ki mele mean bachcha kisi khilaune ki dukan ke samane machal raha hai aur pita mahoday rrishiyoan ki-si vidvata ke sath unaki kshanabhangurata ka rag alap rahe haian.

chitr ka pahala rukh to mere lie ek madan-svapn hai, doosara rukh ek bhayankar saty. is saty ke samane meri sari rasikata aantardhan ho jati hai. meri sari maulikata, sari rachanashilata isi daanpaty ke phandoan se bachane mean prayukt huee hai. janata hooan ki jal ke niche jana hai, magar jal jitana hi rangin aur grahak hai, dana utana hi ghatak aur vishaila. is jal mean pakshiyoan ko t dapate aur ph daph date dekhata hooan aur phir bhi jal par ja baithata hooan.

lekin idhar kuchh dinoan se shrimatiji ne avishraant roop se agrah karana shuroo kiya hai ki mujhe bula lo. pahale jab chhuttiyoan mean jata tha, to mera keval 'kahaan chalogi' kah dena unaki chitt-shaanti ke lie kafi hota tha, phir maianne 'jhanjhat hai' kahakar unhean tasalli deni shuroo ki. isake bad grihasth-jivan ki asuvidhaoan se daraya; kintu ab kuchh dinoan se unaka avishvas badhata jata hai. ab maianne chhuttiyoan mean bhi unake agrah ke bhay se ghar jana band kar diya hai ki kahian vah mere sath n chal kh di hoan aur nana prakar ke bahanoan se unhean ashankit karata rahata hooan.

mera pahala bahana patr-sanpadakoan ke jivan ki kahaniyoan ke vishay mean tha. kabhi barah baje rat ko sona nasib hota hai, kabhi ratajaga karana p d jata hai. sare din gali-gali thokarean khani p dati haian. is par turra yah hai ki hamesha sir par nangi talavar latakati rahati hai. n jane kab giraphtar ho jaooan, kab jamanat talab ho jay. khuphiya pulis ki ek fauj hamesha pichhe p di rahati hai. kabhi bazar mean nikal jata hooan, to log uangaliyaan uthakar kahate haian vah ja raha hai akhabaravala. mano sansar mean jitani daivik, adhidaivik, bhautik, adhibhautik badhaean haian, unaka uttaradayi maian hooan. mano mera mastishk jhoothi khabarean gadhane ka karyalay hai. sara din aphasaroan ki salami aur pulis ki khushamad mean gujar jata hai. kansatebiloan ko dekha aur pran-pi da hone lagi. meri to yah halat hai aur hukkam haian ki meri soorat se kaanpate haian. ek din durbhagyavash ek aangrez ke bangale ki taraph ja nikala. sahab ne poochha kya kam karata hai? maianne garv ke sath kaha, patr ka sanpadak hooan. sahab turant aandar ghus gaye aur kapat muandrit kar liye. phir maianne mem sahab aur baba logoan ko khi dakiyoan se jhaankate dekha; mano koee bhayankar jantu hooan. ekabar relaga di mean saphar kar raha tha, sath aur bhi kee mitr the, isalie apane pad ka samman nibhane ke lie sekeand klas ka tikat lena p da. ga di mean baitha to ek sahab ne mere sootakes par mera nam aur pesha dekhate hi turant apana sandook khola aur rivalvar nikalakar mere samane goliyaan bharian, jisase mujhe maloom ho jay ki vah mujhase sachet hai. maianne deviji se apani arthik kathinaiyoan ki kabhi charcha nahian ki, kyoanki maian ramaniyoan ke samane yah zikr karana apani maryada ke viruddh samajhata hooan. halaanki maian vah charcha karata, to deviji ki daya ka avashy patr ban jata.

mujhe vishvas tha ki shrimatiji phir yahaan ane ka nam n leangi. magar yah mera bhram tha. unake agrah poorvavath hote rahe.

tab maianne doosara bahana socha. shahar bimariyoan ke adde haian. har ek khane-pine ki chiz mean vish ki shanka. doodh mean vish, ghi mean vish, phaloan mean vish, shak-bhaji mean vish, hava mean vish, pani mean vish. yah manushy ka jivan pani ki lakir hai ! jise aj dekho vah kal gayab. achchhe-khase baithe haian, hriday ki gati band ho gayi. ghar se sair ko nikale, motar se takarakar surapur ki rah li. agar koee sham ko saangopaang ghar a jay, to use bhagyavan samajho. machchhar ki avaz kan mean ayi, dil baitha, makkhi najar ayi aur hath-paanv phoole. chooha bil se nikala aur jan nikal gayi. jidhar dekhie yamaraj ki amaladari hai. agar motar aur tram se bachakar a gaye, tab machchhar aur makkhi ke shikar hue. bas yahi samajh lo ki maut haradam sir par khelati rahati hai. rat-bhar machchharoan se l data hooan, din-bhar makkhiyoan se. nanhi-si jan ko kin-kin dushmanoan se bachaooan. saans bhi mushkil se leta hooan ki kahian kshay ke kitanu pheph de mean n pahuanch jayan.

deviji ko phir bhi mujh par vishvas n aya. doosare patr mean bhi vahi arajoo thi. likha tha, tumhare patr ne ek aur chianta badha di ab. ab pratidin patr likha karana, maian ek n sunooangi aur sidhe chali aooangi. maianne dil mean kaha, chalo, saste chhoote.

magar yah khataka laga hua tha ki n jane kab unhean shahar ane ki sanak savar ho jay. isalie maianne tisara bahana soch nikala. yahaan mitroan ke mare nakodam rahata hai, akar baith jate haian to uthane ka nam bhi nahian lete mano apana ghar bech aye haian. agar ghar se tal jao, to akar bedh dak kamare mean baith jate haian aur naukar se jo chiz chahate haian, udhar mangava lete haian. dena mujhe p data hai. kuchh log to haphtoan p de rahate haian, talane ka nam hi nahian lete. roj unaki seva-satkar karo, rat ko thietar ya sinema dikhao. phir sabere tak tash ya shataranj khelo. adhikaansh to aise haian, jo sharab ke bagair jianda hi nahian rah sakate. aksar to bimar hokar ate haian. balki adhikatar bimar hi ate haian. ab roj daktar ko bulao, seva sushroosha karo, ratabhar sirahane baithe pankha jhalate raho, us par yah shikayat bhi sunate raho ki yahaan koee hamari bat bhi nahian poochhata ! meri gh di mahinoan se meri kalaee par nahian ayi. dostoan ke sath jalasoan mean sharik ho rahi hai. achakan hai, vah ek sahab ke pas hai, kot aur doosare sahab le gaye. joote aur ek baboo le u de. maian vahi raddi kot aur vahi chamaraudha joota pahanakar daftar jata hooan. mitravriand ta date rahate haian ki kaun-si nayi vastu laya. koee chiz lata hooan, to mare dar ke sandook mean band kar deta hooan. kisi ki nigah p d jay, to kahian-n-kahian nyota khane ki dhun savar ho jay. pahali tarikh ko vetan milata hai, to choroan ki tarah dabe paanv ghar ata hooan ki kahian koee mahashay rupayoan ki pratiksha mean dvar par dharana jamaye n baithe hoan ! maloom nahian, unaki sari avashyakataean pahali hi tarikh ki bat kyoan johati rahati haian. ek din vetan lekar barah baje rat ko lauta; magar dekha to adhe darjan mitr us vakt bhi date hue the. matha thoank liya. kitane hi bahane karooan, unake samane ek nahian chalati. maian kahata hooan, ghar se patr aya hai, mataji bahut bimar haian. javab dete haian, aji boodhe itani jald nahian marate. marana hi hota, to itane din jivit kyoan rahatian. dekh lena do-char din mean achchhi ho jayeangi, aur agar mar bhi jayean, to vriddhajanoan ki mrityu ka shok hi kya, vah to aur khushi ki bat hai. kahata hooan, lagan ka b da takaja ho raha hai ! javab milata hai, ajakal lagan to band ho hi raha hai. lagan dene ki zaroorat hi nahian rahi. agar kisi sanskar ka bahana karata hooan, to pharamate haian, tum bhi vichitr jiv ho. in kuprathaoan ki lakir pitana tumhari shan ke khilaf hai. agar tum unaka moolochchhedan karoge, to vah log kya akash se aveange? garaj yah ki kisi tarah pran nahian bachate.

maianne samajha tha ki hamara yah bahana nishane par baithega. aise ghar mean kaun ramani rahana pasand karegi, jo mitroan par hi arpit ho gaya ho ! kintu mujhe phir bhram hua. uttar mean phir vahi agrah tha.

tab maianne chautha hila socha. yahaan ke makan haian ki chi diyoan ke pianjare, n hava, n roshani. vah durgandh u dati hai ki khop di bhanna jati hai. kitane hi ke to isi durgandh ke karan visoochika, taiphaid, yakshma adi rog ho jate haian. varsha huee aur makan tapakane laga. pani chahe ghante bhar barase, makan rat bhar barasata rahata hai. aise bahut kam ghar hoange, jinamean pret-badhaean n hoan, logoan ko daravane svapn dikhaee dete haian. kitanoan hi ko unmad rog ho jata hai. aj naye ghar mean aye, kal hi use badalane ki chianta savar ho gayi. koee thela asabab se lada hua ja raha hai, koee a raha hai. jidhar dekhiye thele-hi-thele najar ate haian. choriyaan to is kasarat se hoti haian ki agar koee rat kushal se bit jay, to devataoan ki manauti ki jati hai. adhi rat huee aur 'chor-chor ! lena-lena !' ki avajean ane lagian. log daravajoan par mote-mote lak di ke phatte ya joote ya chimate liye kh de rahate haian; phir bhi chor itane kushal haian ki aankh bachakar aandar pahuanch hi jate haian. ek mere betakalluph dost haian, snehavash mere pas bahut der tak baithe rahate haian. rat aandhere mean bartan kh dake, to maianne bijali ki batti jalaee ! dekha, to vahi mahashay bartan samet rahe haian. meri avaz sunakar zor se kahakaha, mara aur bole, maian tumhean chakama dena chahata tha. maianne dil mean samajh liya, agar nikal jate, to bartan apake the, jab jag p da to chakama ho gaya. ghar mean aye kaise the, yah rahasy hai. kadachith rat ko tash khelakar chale, to bahar jane ke badale niche aandheri kothari mean chhip gaye. ek din ek mahashay mujhase patr likhane aye, kamare mean kalam-davat n thi. oopar ke kamare se lane gaya. lautakar aya to dekha ap gayab haian aur unake sath phauantenapen bhi gayab hai. saraansh yah ki nagar-jivan narak-jivan se kam du:khadayi nahian hai.

magar patniji par nagarik jivan ka aisa jadoo chadha hua hai ki mera koee bahana un par asar nahian karata. is patr ke javab mean unhoanne likha mujhase bahana karate ho, maian hargij n manooangi, tum akar mujhe le jao.

akhir mujhe paanchavaan bahana karana p da. yah khoanchevaloan ke vishay mean tha.

abhi bistar se uthane ki naubat nahian ayi ki kanoan mean vichitr avajean ane lagian. babul ke minar ke nirman ke sath aisi nirarthak avajean n ayi hoangi. vah khoanchevaloan ki shabd-kri da hai. uchit to yah tha, yah khoanchevale dhol-manjire ke sath logoan ko apani chijoan ki or akarshit karate; magar in auandhi aklavaloan ko yah kahaan soojhati hai. aise paishachik svar nikalate haian ki sunanevaloan ke roean kh de ho jate haian. bachche maan ki god mean chimat jate haian. maian bhi rat ko aksar chauank p data hooan. ek din to mere p dos mean ek durghatana ho gayi. gyarah baje the. koee mahila bachche ko doodh pilane uthi thi. ekaek jo kisi khoanchevale ki bhayankar dhavani kanoan mean ayi, to chikh marakar chilla uthi aur phir behosh ho gayi. mahinoan ki dava-daroo ke bad achchhi huee. aur ab rat ko kanoan mean ruee dalakar soti hai. aise krity nagaroan mean nity hote rahate haian. mere hi mitroan mean kee aise haian jo apani striyoan ko ghar se laye; magar bechariyaan doosare hi din in avajoan se bhayabhit hokar laut gayian.

shrimatiji ne isake javab mean likha tum samajhate ho, maian khoanchevaloan ki avajoan se dar jaooangi. yahaan gid doan ka hauvana aur ulluoan ka chikhana sunakar to darati nahian khoanchevaloan se kya darooangi !

aant mean mujhe ek aisa bahana soojha, jisaki saphalata ka mujhe poora vishvas tha. yadyapi isamean kuchh badanami thi; lekin badanami se maian itana nahian darata, jitana us vipatti se. phir maianne likha shahar shariphajadiyoan ke rahane ki jagah nahian. yahaan ki mahariyaan itani katubhashini haian ki batoan ka javab galiyoan se deti haian, aur unake banav-sanvar ka kya poochhana. bhale ghar ki striyaan to unake that dekhakar hi sharm se pani-pani ho jati haian. sir se paanv tak sone se ladi huee, samane se nikal jati haian, to aisa maloom hota hai ki sugandhi ki lapat nikal gayi. grihiniyaan ye that kahaan se layean? unhean to aur bhi saik doan chiantaean haian. in mahariyoan ko to banav-siangar ke siva doosara kam hi nahian. nity nayi saj-dhaj, nity nayi ada aur chanchal to is gajab ki haian; mano aangoan mean rakt ki jagah para bhar diya ho. unaka chamakana aur matakana aur muskarana dekhakar grihiniyaan lajjit ho jati haian aur aisi dida-diler haian ki jabaradasti gharoan mean ghus p dati haian. jidhar dekho inaka mela-sa laga hua hai. inake mare bhale adamiyoan ka ghar mean baithana mushkil hai ! koee khat likhane ke bahane se a jati hai; koee khat padhane ke bahane se. asali bat to yah hai ki grihadeviyoan ka rang phika karane mean inhean anand ata hai. isalie shariphajadiyaan bahut kam shaharoan mean ati haian.

maloom nahian is patr mean mujhase kya galati huee ki tisare din patniji ek boodhe kahar ke sath mera pata poochhati huee apane tinoan bachchoan ko liye ek asadhy rog ki bhaanti a datian.

maianne badahavas hokar poochha- kyoan kushal to hai?

patniji ne chadar utarate hue kaha- ghar mean koee chu dail baithi to nahian hai? yahaan kisi ne qadam rakha to nak kat looangi. haan, jo tumhari shah n ho !

achchha, to ab rahasy khula. maianne sir pit liya. kya janata tha, apana tamacha apane hi muanh par p dega.