क्षमा -प्रेमचंद

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

musalamanoan ko spen-desh par rajy karate kee shatabdiyaan bit chuki thian. kalisaoan ki jagah masajidean banati jati thian, ghantoan ki jagah ajan ki avajean sunaee deti thian. garanata aur alahamara mean ve samay ki nashvar gati par hansanevale prasad ban chuke the, jinake khandahar ab tak dekhanevaloan ko apane poorv aishvary ki jhalak dikhate haian. eesaiyoan ke ganyamany stri aur purush masih ki sharan chho dakar islami bhratritv mean sammilit hote jate the, aur aj tak itihasakaroan ko yah ashchary hai ki eesaiyoan ka nishan vahaan kyoankar baki raha ! jo eesaee-neta ab tak musalamanoan ke samane sir n jhukate the, aur apane desh mean svarajy sthapit karane ka svapn dekh rahe the unamean ek saudagar daood bhi tha. daood vidvanh aur sahasi tha. vah apane ilake mean islam ko qadam n jamane deta tha. din aur nirdhan eesaee vidrohi desh ke any praantoan se akar usake sharanagat hote the aur vah b di udarata se unaka palan-poshan karata tha. musalaman daood se sashank rahate the. ve dharm-bal se us par vijay n pakar use ash‍tr-bal se parast karana chahate the; par daood kabhi unaka samana n karata. haan, jahaan kahian eesaiyoan ke musalaman hone ki khabar pata, hava ki tarah pahuanch jata aur tark ya vinay se unhean apane dharm par achal rahane ki prerana deta. aant mean musalamanoan ne charoan taraph se gher kar use giraphtar karane ki taiyari ki. senaoan ne usake ilake ko gher liya. daood ko pran-raksha ke lie apane sambandhiyoan ke sath bhagana p da. vah ghar se bhagakar garanata mean aya, jahaan un dinoan islami rajadhani thi. vahaan sabase alag rahakar vah achchhe dinoan ki pratiksha mean jivan vyatit karane laga. musalamanoan ke guptachar usaka pata lagane ke lie bahut sir marate the, use pak d lane ke lie b de-b de inamoan ki vijnapti nikali jati thi; par daood ki toh n milati thi.

2

ek din ekaantavas se ukatakar daood garanata ke ek bag mean sair karane chala gaya. sandhya ho gayi thi. musalaman nichi abaean pahane, b de-b de amame sir par baandhe, kamar se talavar latakaye rabishoan mean tahal rahe the. striyaan saphed burake odhe, jari ki jootiyaan pahane beanchoan aur kurasiyoan par baithi huee thian. daood sabase alag hari-hari ghas par leta hua soch raha tha ki vah din kab ayega jab hamari janmabhoomi in atyachariyoan ke panje se chhootegi ! vah atit kal ki kalpana kar raha tha, jab eesaee stri aur purush in rabishoan mean tahalate hoange, jab yah sthan eesaiyoan ke paraspar vagvilas se gulazar hoga.

   sahasa ek musalaman yuvak akar daood ke pas baith gaya. vah use sir se paanv tak apamanasoochak drishti se dekhakar bola- kya abhi tak tumhara hriday islam ki jyoti se prakashit nahian hua ?

   daood ne gambhir bhav se kaha- islam ki jyoti parvat-shriangoan ko prakashit kar sakati hai. aandheri ghatiyoan mean usaka pravesh nahian ho sakata.

   us musalaman arab ka nam jamal tha. yah akshep sunakar tikhe svar mean bola- isase tumhara kya matalab hai ?

   daood- isase mera matalab yahi hai ki eesaiyoan mean jo log uchch-shreni ke haian, ve jagiroan aur rajyadhikaroan ke lobh tatha rajadand ke bhay se islam ki sharan mean a sakate haian; par durbal aur din eesaiyoan ke lie islam mean vah asaman ki badashahat kahaan hai jo hajarat masih ke daman mean unhean nasib hogi ! islam ka prachar talavar ke bal se hua hai, seva ke bal se nahian.

   jamal apane dharm ka apaman sunakar tilamila utha. garam hokar bola- yah sarvatha mithya hai. islam ki shakti usaka aantarik bhratritv aur samy hai, talavar nahian.

   daood- islam ne dharm ke nam par jitana rakt bahaya hai, usamean usaki sari masajidean doob jayangi.

   jamal- talavar ne sada saty ki raksha ki hai.

   daood ne avichalit bhav se kaha- jisako talavar ka ashray lena p de, vah saty hi nahian.

   jamal jatiy garv se unmatt hokar bola- jab tak mithya ke bhakt raheange, tab tak talavar ki zaroorat bhi rahegi.

   daood- talavar ka muanh takanevala saty hi mithya hai.

   arab ne talavar ke kabje par hath rakhakar kaha- khuda ki kasam, agar tum nihatthe n hote, to tumhean islam ki tauhin karane ka maja chakha deta.

   daood ne apani chhati mean chhipaee huee katar nikalakar kaha- nahian, maian nihattha nahian hooan. musalamanoan par jis din itana vishvas karooanga, us din eesaee n rahooanga. tum apane dil ke araman nikal lo.

   donoan ne talavarean khianch lian. ek-doosare par toot p de. arab ki bhari talavar eesaee ki halaki katar ke samane shithil ho gayi. ek sarp ki bhaanti phan se chot karati thi, doosari nagin ki bhaanti uthati thi. laharoan ki bhaanti lapakati thi, doosari jal ki machhaliyoan ki bhaanti chamakati thi. donoan yoddhaoan mean kuchh der tak chotean hoti rahian. sahasa ek bar nagin uchhalakar arab ke aantastal mean ja pahuanchi. vah bhoomi par gir p da.

3

jamal ke girate hi charoan taraph se log dau d p de. ve daood ko gherane ki cheshtakarane lage. daood ne dekha, log talavarean liye dau de chale a rahe haian. pran lekar bhaga; par jidhar jata tha, samane bag ki divar rasta rok leti thi. divar ooanchi thi, use phaandana mushkil tha. yah jivan aur mrityu ka sangram tha. kahian sharan ki asha nahian, kahian chhipane ka sthan nahian. udhar araboan ki rakt-pipasa pratikshan tivr hoti jati thi. yah keval ek aparadhi ko dand dene ki cheshta n thi. jatiy apaman ka badala tha. ek vijit eesaee ki yah himmat ki arab par hath uthaye ! aisa anarth !

   jis tarah pichha karanevale kuttoan ke samane gilahari idhar-udhar dau dati hai, kisi vriksh par chadhane ki bar-bar cheshtakarati hai, par hath-paanv phool jane ke karan bar-bar gir p dati hai, vahi dasha daood ki thi.

   dau date-dau date usaka dam phool gaya; pair man-man bhar ke ho gaye. kee bar ji mean aya in sab par toot p de aur jitane mahange pran bik sakean, utane mahange beche; par shatruoan ki sankhya dekhakar hatotsah ho jata tha.

   lena, dau dana, pak dana ka shor macha hua tha. kabhi-kabhi pichha karanevale itane nikat a jate the ki maloom hota tha, ab sangram ka aant hua, vah talavar p di; par pairoan ki ek hi gati, ek kava, ek kanni use khoon ki pyasi talavar se bal-bal bacha leti thi.

   daood ko ab is sangram mean khila diyoan ka-sa anand ane laga. yah nishchay tha ki usake pran nahian bach sakate, musalaman daya karana nahian janate, isalie use apane daanv-peanch mean maja a raha tha. kisi var se bachakar use ab isaki khushi n hoti thi ki usake pran bach gaye, balki isaka anand hota tha ki usane katil ko kaisa zich kiya.

   sahasa use apani dahini or bag ki divar kuchh nichi najar ayi. ah ! yah dekhate hi usake pairoan mean ek nayi shakti ka sanchar ho gaya, dhamaniyoan mean naya rakt dau dane laga. vah hiran ki tarah us taraph dau da aur ek chhalaang mean bag ke us par pahuanch gaya. zindagi aur maut mean sirph ek qadam ka phasala tha. pichhe mrityu thi aur age jivan ka vistrit kshetr. jahaan tak drishti jati thi, jha diyaan hi jha diyaan najar ati thian. zamin patharili thi, kahian ooanchi, kahian, nichi. jagah-jagah patthar ki shilaean p di huee thian. daood ek shila ke niche chhipakar baith gaya.

   dam-bhar mean pichha karanevale bhi vahaan a pahuanche aur idhar-udhar jha diyoan mean, vrikshoan par, gaddhe mean shilaoan ke niche talash karane lage. ek arab us chattan par akar kh da ho gaya, jisake niche daood chhipa hua tha. daood ka kaleja dhakh-dhakh kar raha tha. ab jan gayi ! arab ne jara niche ko jhaanka aur pranoan ka aant hua ? sanyog- keval sanyog par ab usaka jivan nirbhar tha. daood ne saans rok li, sannata khianch liya. ek nigah par usaki ziandagi ka phaisala tha, ziandagi aur maut mean kitana samipy hai !

   magar araboan ko itana avakash kahaan tha ki ve savadhan hokar shila ke niche dekhate. vahaan to hatyare ko pak dane ki jaldi thi. daood ke sir se bala tal gayi. ve idhar-udhar tak-jhaankakar age badh gaye.

4

aandhera ho gaya. akash mean taragan nikal aye aur taroan ke sath daood bhi shila ke niche se nikala. lekin dekha, us samay bhi charoan taraph halachal machi huee hai, shatruoan ka dal mashalean liye jha diyoan mean ghoom raha hai; nakoan par bhi pahara hai, kahian nikal bhagane ka rasta nahian hai. daood ek vriksh ke niche kh da hokar sochane laga ki ab kyoankar jan bache. use apani jan ki vaisi parava n thi. vah jivan ke sukh-dukh sab bhog chuka tha. agar use jivan ki lalasa thi, to keval yahi dekhane ke lie ki is sangram ka aant kya hoga ? mere deshavasi hatotsah ho jayeange, ya adamy dhairy ke sath sangramakshetr mean atal raheange.

   jab rat adhik bit gayi aur shatruoan ki ghatak cheshta kuchh kam n hoti dikh p di to daood khuda ka nam lekar jha diyoan se nikala aur dabe-paanv, vrikshoan ki a d mean, adamiyoan ki najar bachata hua, ek taraph ko chala. vah in jha diyoan se nikalakar basti mean pahuanch jana chahata tha. nirjanata kisi ki a d nahian kar sakati. basti ka janabahuly svayan a d hai.

   kuchh door tak to daood ke marg mean koee badha n upasthit huee. van ke vrikshoan ne usaki raksha ki, kintu jab vah asamatal bhoomi se nikalakar samatal bhoomi par aya, to ek arab ki nigah us par p d gayi. usane lalakara. daood bhaga. ‘katil bhaga jata hai !’ yah avaz hava mean ek hi bar gooanji aur kshan-bhar mean charoan taraph se araboan ne usaka pichha kiya. samane bahut door tak adami ka namonishan n tha. bahut door par ek dhuandhala-sa dipak timatima raha tha. kisi tarah vahaan tak pahuanch jaooan. vah us dipak ki or itani tezise dau d raha tha, mano vahaan pahuanchate hi abhay pa jayaga. asha use u daye liye jati thi. araboan ka samooh pichhe chhoot gaya; mashaloan ki jyoti nishprabh ho gayi. keval taragan usake sath dau de chale ate the. aant ko vah ashamay dipak ke samane a pahuancha. ek chhota-sa phoos ka makan tha. ek boodha arab zamin par baitha hua rehal par quran rakhe usi dipak ke mand prakash se padh raha tha. daood age n ja saka. usaki himmat ne javab de diya. vah vahian shithil hokar gir p da. raste ki thakan ghar pahuanchane par maloom hoti hai.

   arab ne uthakar kaha- too kaun hai ?

   daood- ek garib eesaee. musibat mean phans gaya hooan. ab ap hi sharan dean, to mere pran bach sakate haian.

   arab- khuda-pak teri madad karega. tum par kya musibat p di huee hai ?

   daood- darata hooan kahian kah dooan to ap bhi mere khoon ke pyase n ho jayan.

   arab- ab too meri sharan mean a gaya, to tujhe mujhase koee shanka n honi chahie. ham musalaman haian, jise ek bar apani sharan mean le lete haian usaki ziandagi-bhar raksha karate haian.

   daood- maianne ek musalaman yuvak ki hatya kar dali hai.

   vriddh arab ka mukh krodh se vikrit ho gaya, bola- usaka nam ?

   daood- usaka nam jamal tha.

   arab sir pak dakar vahian baith gaya. usaki aankhean surkh ho gayian; garadan ki nasean tan gayian; mukh par alaukik tejasvita ki abha dikhayi di, nathune ph dakane lage. aisa maloom hota tha ki usake man mean bhishan dvandv ho raha hai aur vah samast vichar-shakti se apane manobhavoan ko daba raha hai. do-tin minat tak vah isi ugr avastha mean baitha dharati ki or takata raha. aant mean avaruddh kanth se bola- nahian-nahian, sharanagat ki raksha karani hi p degi. ah ! jalim ! too janata hai, maian kaun hooan. maian usi yuvak ka abhaga pita hooan, jisaki aj toone itani nirdayata se hatya ki hai. too janata hai, toone mujh par kitana b da atyachar kiya hai ? toone mere khanadan ka nishan mita diya hai ! mera chirag gul kar diya ! ah, jamal mera ikalauta beta tha. meri sari abhilashaean usi par nirbhar thian. vah meri aankhoan ka ujala, mujh aandhe ka sahara, mere jivan ka adhar, mere jarjar sharir ka pran tha. abhi-abhi use qabr ki god mean lita aya hooan. ah, mera sher, aj khak ke niche so raha hai. aisa diler, aisa dinadar, aisa sajila javan meri kaum mean doosara n tha. jalim, tujhe us par talavar chalate jara bhi daya n ayi. tera patthar ka kaleja jara bhi n pasija ! too janata hai, mujhe is vakt tujh par kitana gussa a raha hai ? mera ji chahata hai ki apane donoan hathoan se teri garadan pak dakar is tarah dabaooan ki teri jaban bahar nikal aye, teri aankhean kau diyoan ki tarah bahar nikal p dean. par nahian, toone meri sharan li hai, kartavy mere hathoan ko baandhe hue hai, kyoanki hamare rasool-pak ne hidayat ki hai, ki jo apani panah mean aye, us par hath n uthao. maian nahian chahata ki nabi ke hukm ko to dakar duniya ke sath apani aqabat bhi biga d looan. duniya toone biga di, din apane hathoan biga dooan ? nahian. sabr karana mushkil hai; par sabr karooanga taki nabi ke samane aankhean nichi n karani p dean. a, ghar mean a. tera pichha karanevale dau de a rahe haian. tujhe dekh leange, to phir meri sari minnat-samajat teri jan n bacha sakegi. too nahian janata ki arab log khoon kabhi maph nahian karate.

   yah kahakar arab ne daood ka hath pak d liya, aur use ghar mean le jakar ek kothari mean chhipa diya. vah ghar se bahar nikala hi tha ki araboan ka ek dal dvar par a pahuancha.

   ek adami ne poochha- kyoan shekh hasan, tumane idhar se kisi ko bhagate dekha hai ?

   ‘haan dekha hai.’

   ‘use pak d kyoan n liya ? vahi to jamal ka katil tha !’

   ‘yah janakar bhi maianne use chho d diya.’

   ‘aian ! gajab khuda ka ! yah tumane kya kiya ? jamal hisab ke din hamara daman pak dega to ham kya javab deange ?’

   ‘tum kah dena ki tere bap ne tere katil ko maph kar diya.’

   ‘arab ne kabhi katil ka khoon nahian maph kiya.’

   ‘yah tumhari zimmedari hai, maian use apane sir kyoan looan ?’

   araboan ne shekh hasan se zyada hujjat n ki, katil ki talash mean dau de. shekh hasan phir chataee par baithakar quran padhane laga, lekin usaka man padhane mean n lagata tha. shatru se badala lene ki pravritti araboan ki pravritti mean baddhamool hoti thi. khoon ka badala khoon tha. isake lie khoon ki nadiyaan bah jati thian, kabile-ke-kabile mar mitate the, shahar-ke-shahar viran ho jate the. us pravritti par vijay pana shekh hasan ko asadhy-sa pratit ho raha tha. bar-bar pyare putr ki soorat usaki aankhoan ke age phirane lagati thi, bar-bar usake man mean prabal uttejana hoti thi ki chalakar daood ke khoon se apane krodh ki ag bujhaooan. arab vir hote the. katana-marana unake lie koee asadharan bat n thi. maranevaloan ke lie ve aansuoan ki kuchh booandean bahakar phir apane kam mean pravritt ho jate the. ve mrit vyakti ki smriti ko keval usi dasha mean jivit rakhate the, jab usake khoon ka badala lena hota tha. ant ko shekh hasan adhir ho utha. usako bhay hua ki ab maian apane oopar kaboo nahian rakh sakata. usane talavar myan se nikal li aur dabe paanv us kothari ke dvar par akar kh da ho gaya, jisamean daood chhipa hua tha. talavar ko daman mean chhipakar usane dhire se dvar khola. daood tahal raha tha. boodhe arab ka raudr roop dekhakar daood usake manoveg ko ta d gaya. use boodhe se sahanubhooti ho gayi. usane socha, yah dharm ka dosh nahian, jati ka dosh nahian. mere putr ki kisi ne hatya ki hoti, to kadachith maian bhi usake khoon ka pyasa ho jata. yahi manav prakriti hai.

   arab ne kaha- daood, tumhean maloom hai bete ki maut ka kitana gam hota hai.

   daood- isaka anubhav to nahian, par anuman kar sakata hooan. agar meri jan se apake us gam ka ek hissa bhi mit sake, to lijie, yah sir hajir hai. maian ise shauq se apaki najar karata hooan. apane daood ka nam suna hoga.

   arab- kya pitar ka beta ?

   daood- ji haan. maian vahi badanasib daood hooan. maian keval apake bete ka ghatak hi nahian, islam ka dushman hooan. meri jan lekar ap jamal ke khoon ka badala hi n leange, balki apani jati aur dharm ki sachchi seva bhi kareange.

   shekh hasan ne gambhir bhav se kaha- daood, maianne tumhean maph kiya. maian janata hooan, musalamanoan ke hath eesaiyoan ko bahut takaliphean pahuanchi haian, musalamanoan ne un par b de-b de atyachar kiye haian, unaki svadhinata har li hai ! lekin yah islam ka nahian, musalamanoan ka kasoor hai. vijay-garv ne musalamanoan ki mati har li hai. hamare pak nabi ne yah shiksha nahian di thi, jis par aj ham chal rahe haian. vah svayan kshama aur daya ka sarvochch adarsh hai. maian islam ke nam ko batta n lagaooanga. meri ooantani le lo aur ratoan-rat jahaan tak bhaga jay, bhago. kahian ek kshan ke lie bhi n thaharana. araboan ko tumhari boo bhi mil gayi, to tumhari jan ki khairiyat nahian. jao, tumhean khuda-e-pak ghar pahuanchave. boodhe shekh hasan aur usake bete jamal ke lie khuda se dua kiya karana.

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    daood khairiyat se ghar pahuanch gaya; kiantu ab vah daood n tha, jo islam ko j d se khodakar pheank dena chahata tha. usake vicharoan mean gahara parivartan ho gaya tha. ab vah musalamanoan ka adar karata aur islam ka nam ijjat se leta tha.