ग़बन उपन्यास भाग-27

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

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kee dinoan ke bad ek din koee ath baje rama pustakalay se laut raha tha ki marg mean use kee yuvak shataranj ke kisi nakshe ki batachit karate mile. yah naksha vahaan ke ek hiandi dainik patr mean chhapa tha aur use hal karane vale ko pachas rupaye inam dene ka vachan diya gaya tha. naksha asakey-sa jan p data tha. kam-sekam in yuvakoan ki batachit se aisa hi tapakata tha. yah bhi maloom hua ki vahaan ke aur bhi kitane hi shataranjabazoan ne use hal karane ke lie bharapoor zor

lagaya, par kuchh pesh n gee. ab rama ko yad aya ki pustakalay mean ek patr par bahut-se adami jhuke hue the aur us nakshe ki nakal kar rahe the. jo ata tha, do-char minat tak vah patr dekh leta tha. ab maloom hua, yah bat thi. rama ka inamean se kisi se bhi parichay n tha, par vah yah naksha dekhane ke lie itana utsuk ho raha tha ki usase bina poochhe n raha gaya. bola,ap logoan mean kisi ke pas vah naksha hai?

yuvakoan ne ek kanbalaposh adami ko nakshe ki bat poochhate suna to samajhe koee ataee hoga. ek ne rookhaee se kaha, ‘haan, hai to, magar tum dekhakar kya karoge, yahaan achchhe-achchhe gote kha rahe haian. ek mahashay, jo shataranj mean apana sani nahian rakhate, use hal karane ke lie sau rupaye apane pas se dene ko taiyar haian. ’ doosara yuvak bola, ‘dikha kyoan nahian dete ji, kaun jane yahi bechare hal kar lean, shayad inhian ki soojh l d jae.’ is prerana mean sajjanata nahian vyangy tha, usamean yah bhav chhipa tha ki hamean

dikhane mean koee ujr nahian hai, dekhakar apani aankhoan ko t!pt kar lo magar tum jaise ulloo use samajh hi nahian sakate, hal kya kareange. jan - pahachan ki ek dukan mean jakar unhoanne rama ko naksha dikhaya.

rama ko turant yad a gaya, yah naksha pahale bhi kahian dekha hai. sochane laga, kahaan dekha hai?

ek yuvak ne chutaki li, ‘apane to hal kar liya hoga!’

doosara, ‘abhi nahian kiya to ek kshan mean kie lete haian!’ tisara, ‘zara do-ek chal bataie to?’

rama ne uttejit hokar kaha,yah maian nahian kahata ki maian use hal kar hi looanga, magar aisa naksha maianne ek bar hal kiya hai, aur sanbhav hai, ise bhi hal kar looan. zara kagaz-peansil dijie to nakal kar looan.‘

yuvakoan ka avishvas kuchh kam hua. rama ko kagaz-peansil mil gaya. ek kshan mean usane naksha nakal kar liya aur yuvakoan ko dhanyavad dekar chala. ekaek usane phirakar poochha, ‘javab kisake pas bhejana hoga?’

ek yuvak ne kaha,’praja-mitr’ ke sanpadak ke pas.’

rama ne ghar pahuanchakar us nakshe par dimag lagana shuroo kiya, lekin muharoan ki chalean sochane ki jagah vah yahi soch raha tha ki yah naksha kahaan dekha. shayad yad ate hi use nakshe ka hal bhi soojh jayaga. any praniyoan ki tarah mastishk bhi kary mean tatpar n hokar bahane khojata hai. koee adhar mil jane se vah mano chhutti pa jata hai. rama adhi rat tak naksha samane khole baitha raha. shataranj ki jo badi-badi marke ki bajiyaan kheli thian, un sabaka naksha use yad tha, par yah naksha kahaan dekha?

sahasa usaki aankhoan ke samane bijali-si kaudhan gee. khoee huee smriti mil gee. aha! raja sahab ne yah naksha diya tha. haan, thik hai. lagatar tin din dimag ladane ke bad ise usane hal kiya tha. nakshe ki nakal bhi kar laya tha. phir to use ek-ek chal yad a gee. ek kshan mean naksha hal ho gaya! usane ullas ke nashe mean zamin par do-tin kulaanchean lagaee, moochhoan par tav diya, aine mean muanh dekha aur charapaee par let gaya. is tarah agar mahine mean ek

naksha milata jae, to kya poochhana!

devidin abhi ag sulaga raha tha ki rama prasann mukh akar bola, ‘dada, janate ho ‘praja-mitr’ akhabar ka daftar kahaan hai?’

devidin—‘ ‘janata kyoan nahian hooan. yahaan kaun akhabar hai, jisaka pata mujhe n maloom ho ‘praja-mitr’ ka sanpadak ek rangila yuvak hai, jo haradam muanh mean pan bhare rahata hai. milane jao, to aankhoan se batean karata hai, magar hai himmat ka dhani, do ber jehal ho aya hai.’

rama—‘aj zara vahaan tak jaoge?’

devidin ne katar bhav se kaha, ‘mujhe bhejakar kya karoge? maian n ja sakooanga. ’

‘kya bahut door hai?’

‘nahian, door nahian hai.’

‘phir kya bat hai?’

devidin ne aparadhiyoan ke bhav se kaha, ‘bat kuchh nahian hai, budhiya big dati hai. use bachan de chuka hooan ki sudesi-bidesi ke jhag de mean n p dooanga, n kisi akhabar ke daftar mean jaooanga. usaka diya khata hooan, to usaka hukum bhi to bajana p dega.’

rama ne muskarakar kaha, ‘dada, tum to dillagi karate ho mera ek bada zaroori kam hai. usane shataranj ka ek naksha chhapa tha, jis par pachas rupaya inam hai. maianne vah naksha hal kar diya hai. aj chhap jay, to mujhe yah inam mil jay. akhabaroan ke daftar mean aksar khugiya pulis ke adami atejate rahate haian. yahi bhay hai. nahian, maian khud chala jata, lekin tum nahian ja rahe

ho to lachar mujhe hi jana p dega. badi mehanat se yah naksha hal kiya hai. sari rat jagata raha hooan.’

devidin ne chiantit svar mean kaha, ‘tumhara vahaan jana thik nahian.’

rama ne hairan hokar poochha, ‘to phir? kya dak se bhej dooan? ’

devidin ne ek kshan sochakar kaha, ‘nahian, dak se kya bhejoge. idhar-udhar ho jay, to tumhari mehanat akarath jay. rajistri karao, to kahian parasoan pahuanchega. kal itavar hai. kisi aur ne javab bhej diya, to inam vah mar le jayaga. yah bhi to ho sakata hai ki akhabar vale dhaandhali kar baithean aur tumhara javab apane nam se chhapakar rupaya hajam kar lean.’

rama ne dubidha mean p dakar kaha, ‘maian hi chala jaooanga.’

‘tumhean maian n jane dooanga. kahian phans jao to bas!’

‘phansanna to ek din hai hi. kab tak chhipa rahooanga?’

‘to marane ke pahale hi kyoan rona-pitana ho jab phansoge, tab dekhi jaegi. lao, maian chala jaooan. budhiya se koee bahana kar dooanga. abhi bheant bhi ho jaegi. daftar hi mean rahate bhi haian. phir ghoomane-ghamane chal deange, to das baje se pahale n lauteange.’

rama ne darate-darate kaha, ‘to das baje bad jana, kya haraj hai.’

devidin ne kh de hokar kaha, ‘tab tak koee doosara kam a gaya, to aj rah jaega. ghante-bhar mean laut ata hooan. abhi budhiya der mean aegi.’yah kahate hue devidin ne apana kala kanbal odha, rama se liphapha liya aur chal diya.

jaggo sag-bhaji aur phal lene mandi gee huee thi. adha ghante mean sir par ek tokari rakkhe aur ek bada-sa tokara majoor ke sir par rakhavae aee. pasine se tar thi. ate hi boli, ‘kahaan ge? zara bojha to utaro, garadan toot gee.’

rama ne age badhakar tokari utarava li. itani bhari thi ki sanbhale n sanbhalati thi.

jaggo ne poochha, ‘vah kahaan ge haian?’

rama ne bahana kiya, ‘mujhe to nahian maloom, abhi isi taraph chale ge haian.’

budhiya ne majoor ke sir ka tokara utaravaya aur zamin par baithakar ek tooti-si pankhiya jhalati huee boli, ‘charas ki chat lagi hogi aur kya, maian maramar kamaooan aur yah baithe-baithe mauj udaean aur charas piean.’

rama janata tha, devidin charas pita hai, par budhiya ko shaant karane ke lie bola, ‘kya charas pite haian? maianne to nahian dekha!’

budhiya ne pith ki sa di hatakar use pankhi ki dandi se khujate hue kaha, ‘inase kaun nasa chhoota hai, charas yah piean, gaanja yah piean, sarab inhean chahie,bhaang inhean chahie, haan abhi tak agim nahian khaee, ya ram jane khate hoan, maian kaun haradam dekhati rahati hooan. maian to sochati hooan kaun jane age kya ho, hath mean char paise hoange, to parae bhi apane ho jaeange, par is bhale adami ko ratti-

bhar chianta nahian satati. kabhi tirath hai, kabhi kuchh, kabhi kuchh, mera to;nak par uangali rakhakaradhd nak mean dam a gaya. bhagavan utha le jate to yah kusang to chhoot jati. tab yad kareange lala! tab jaggo kahaan milegi, jo kama-kamakar gulachharre udane ko diya karegi. tab rakt ke aansoo n roean, to kah dena koee kahata tha. (majoor se) ‘kai paise hue tere?’

majoor ne bi di jalate hue kaha, ‘bojha dekh lo daee, garadan toot gee!’

jaggo ne nirday bhav se kaha, ‘haan-haan, garadan toot gee! badi sukumar hai n? yah le, kal phir chale ana.’

majoor ne kaha, ‘yah to bahut kam hai. mera pet n bharega.’

jaggo ne do paise aur tho de se aloo dekar use vida kiya aur dukan sajane lagi. sahasa use hisab ki yad a gee. rama se boli, ‘bhaiya, zara aj ka kharacha to taank do. bazar mean jaise ag lag gee hai.’budhiya chhabadiyoan mean chizean laga-lagakar rakhati jati thi aur hisab bhi likhati jati thi. aloo, tamatar, kaddoo, kele, palak, sem, santare, gobhi, sab chizoan ka taul aur dar use yad tha. rama se dobara padhavakar usane suna tab use santosh hua. in sab kamoan se chhutti pakar usane apani chilam bhari aur modhe par baithakar pine lagi, lekin usake aandazase maloom hota tha ki vah tanbakoo ka ras lene ke lie nahian, dil ko jalane ke lie pi rahi hai. ek kshan ke bad boli, ‘doosari aurat hoti to gh di-bhar isake sath nibah n hota, gh di- bhar, pahar rat se chakki mean jut jati hooan aur das baje rat tak dukan par baithi sati hoti rahati hooan. khate-pite barah bajate haian tab jakar char paise dikhaee dete haian, aur jo kuchh kamati hooan, yah nase mean barabad kar deta hai. sat kothari mean chhipa ke rakkhooan, par isaki nigah pahuanch jati hai. nikal leta hai. kabhi ekadh chiz-bast banava leti hooan to vah aankhoan mean g dane lagati hai. tanoan se chhedane lagata hai. bhag mean l dakoan ka sukh bhogana nahian bada tha, to kya karooan! chhati pha d ke mar jaooan? maange se maut bhi to nahian milati. sukh bhogana likha hota, to javan bete chal dete, aur is piyakk d ke hathoan meri yah saansat hoti! isi ne sudesi ke jhag de mean p dakar mere laloan ki jan li. ao, is kothari mean bhaiya, tumhean mugdar ki jo di dikhaooan. donoan is jo di se paanch-paanch sau hath udharate the.‘

aandheri kothari mean jakar rama ne mugdar ki jo di dekhi. us par varnish thi, saph-suthari mano abhi kisi ne udharakar rakh diya ho budhiya ne sagarv najaroan se dekhakar kaha,log kahate the ki yah jo di maha brahman ko de de, tujhe dekh-dekh kalak hoga. maianne kaha,yah jo di mere laloan ki juphal jo di hai. yahi mere donoan lal haian. budhiya ke prati aj rama ke hriday mean asim shraddha jagrat huee. kitana pavan dhairy hai, kitani vishal vatsalata, jisane lak di ke in do tuk doan ko jivan pradan kar diya hai. rama ne jaggo ko maya aur lobh mean doobi huee, paise par jan dene vali, komal bhavoan se sarvatha vihin samajh rakkha tha. aj use vidit hua ki usaka hriday kitana snehamay, kitana komal, kitana manasvi hai. budhiya ne usake muanh ki or dekha, to n jane kyoan usaka mat!-hriday use gale lagane ke lie adhir ho utha. donoan ke hriday prem ke sootr mean bandh ge. ek or putr-sneh tha, doosari or matri-bhakti. vah maliny jo ab tak gupt bhav se donoan ko prithakh kie hue tha, aj ekaek door ho gaya. budhiya ne kaha, ‘muanh-hath dho liya hai n beta, bade mithe santare laee hooan, ek lekar chakho to.’

rama ne santara khate hue kaha, ‘aj se maian tumhean ammaan kaha karooanga.’

budhiya ke shushk, jyotihin, thande, kripan najaroan se moti ke-se do biandu nikal p de.

itane mean devidin dabe paanv akar khadaho gaya. budhiya ne t dapakar poochha,yah itane sabere kidhar savari gee thi sarakar ki?’

devi ne saralata se muskarakar kaha, ‘kahian nahian, zara ek kam se chala gaya tha.’

‘kya kam tha, zara maian bhi to sunooan, ya mere sunane layaq nahian hai?’

‘pet mean darad tha, zara vaidaji ke pas chooran lene gaya tha.’

‘jhoothe ho tum, u do usase jo tumhean janata n ho charas ki toh mean ge the tum.’

‘nahian, tere charan chhookar kahata hooan. too jhooth-mooth mujhe badanam karati hai.’

‘to phir kahaan ge the tum?’

‘bata to diya. rat khana do kaur zyada kha gaya tha, so pet phool gaya,aur mitha-mitha---’

‘jhooth hai, bilakul jhooth! tum chahe jhooth bolo, tumhara muanh saf kahe deta hai, yah bahana hai, charas, gaanja, isi toh mean ge the tum. maian ek n manooangi. tumhean is budhape mean nase ki soojhati hai, yahaan meri maran huee jati hai. sabere ke ge-ge nau baje laute haian, jano yahaan koee inaki lauandi hai.’

devidin ne ek jha doo lekar dukan mean jha doo lagana shuroo kiya, par budhiya ne usake hath se jhadoo chhin liya aur poochha,tum ab tak the kahaan? jab tak yah n bataoge, bhitar ghusane n dooangi.

devidin ne sitapitakar kaha, ‘kya karogi poochhakar, ek akhabar ke daftar mean to gaya tha. jo chahe kar le.’

budhiya ne matha thoankakar kaha, ‘tumane phir vahi lat pak di? tumane kan n pakadatha ki ab kabhi akhabaroan ke nagich n jaooanga. bolo, yahi muanh tha ki koee aur!’

‘too bat to samajhati nahian, bas big dane lagati hai.'

‘khoob samajhati hooan. akhabar vale danga machate haian aur gariboan ko jehal le jate haian. aj bis sal se dekh rahi hooan. vahaan jo ata-jata hai, pak d liya jata hai. talasi to ae din hua karati hai. kya budhape mean jehal ki rotiyaan to doge?’

devidin ne ek liphapha ramanath ko dekar kaha, ‘yah rupaye haian bhaiya, gin lo. dekh, yah rupaye vasool karane gaya tha. ji n manata ho, to adhe le le!’

budhiya ne aankhean ga dakar kaha, ‘achchha! to tum apane sath is bechare ko bhi dubana chahate ho tumhare rupaye mean ag laga dooangi. tum rupaye mat lena, bhaiya! jan se hath dhooge. ab seantameant adami nahian milate, to sab lalach dikhakar logoan ko phansate haian. bazar mean pahara dilaveange, adalat mean gavahi karaveange! pheank do usake rupaye, jitane rupaye chaho, mujhase le jao.’

jab ramanath ne sara vrittaant kaha, to budhiya ka chitt shaant hua. tani huee bhavean dhili p d gee, kathor mudra narm ho gee. megh-pat ko hatakar nila akash hans p da. vinod karake boli, ‘isamean se mere lie kya laoge, beta?’

rama ne liphapha usake samane rakhakar kaha, ‘tumhare to sabhi haian, ammaan! maian rupaye lekar kya karooanga?’

‘ghar kyoan nahian bhej dete. itane din ae ho ge, kuchh bheja nahian.’

‘mera ghar yahi hai, ammaan! koee doosara ghar nahian hai.’

budhiya ka matritv vanchit hriday gadgad ho utha. is mat!-bhakti ke lie kitane dinoan se usaki atma t dap rahi thi. is kripan hriday mean jitana prem sanchit ho raha tha, vah sab mata ke stan mean ekatr hone vale doodh ki bhaanti bahar nikalane ke lie atur ho gaya. usane notoan ko ginakar kaha, ‘pachas haian, beta! pachas mujhase aur le lo. chay ka patila rakha hua hai. chay ki dukan khol do. yahian ek taraph charapaanch modhe aur mez rakh lena. do-do ghante saanjh-savere baith jaoge to guzar bhar ko mil jayaga. hamare jitane gahak aveange, unamean se kitane hi chay bhi pi leange.’

devidin bola, ‘tab charas ke paise maian is dukan se liya karooanga!’

budhiya ne vihansit aur pulakit najaroan se dekhakar kaha, ‘kau di-kau di ka hisab looangi. is udhar mean n rahana.’

rama apane kamare mean gaya, to usaka man bahut prasann tha. aj use kuchh vahi anand mil raha tha, jo apane ghar bhi kabhi n mila tha. ghar par jo sneh milata tha, vah use milana hi chahie tha. yahaan jo sneh mila, vah mano akash se tapaka tha. usane snan kiya, mathe par tilak lagaya aur pooja ka svaang bharane baitha ki budhiya akar boli,beta, tumhean rasoee banane mean badi takaliph hoti hai. maianne ek brahmani thik kar di hai. bechari badi garib hai. tumhara bhojan bana diya karegi. usake hath ka to tum kha loge, nem-karam se rahati hai beta,aisi bat nahian hai. mujhase rupaye-paise udhar le jati hai. isi se raji ho gee hai.’

un vriddh aankhoan se pragadh, akhand mat!tv jhalak raha tha, kitana vishuddh, pavitr! ooanch-nich aur jati-maryada ka vichar ap hi ap mit gaya. bola, ‘jab tum meri mata ho gee to phir kahe ka chhoot-vichar! maian tumhare hi hath ka khaooanga. ’

budhiya ne jibh daantoan se dabakar kaha, ‘are nahian beta! maian tumhara dharam n looangi, kahaan tum baramhan aur kahaan ham khatik aisa kahian hua hai.’

‘maian to tumhari rasoee mean khaooanga. jab maan-bap khatik haian, to beta bhi khatik hai. jisaki atma badi ho vahi brahman hai.’

‘aur jo tumhare gharavale sunean to kya kahean! ‘

‘mujhe kisi ke kahane-sunane ki chianta nahian hai, ammaan! adami pap se nich hota hai, khane-pine se nich nahian hota. prem se jo bhojan milata hai, vah pavitr hota hai. use to devata bhi khate haian.’

budhiya ke hriday mean bhi jati-gaurav ka bhav uday hua. boli, ‘beta, khatik koee nich jat nahian hai. ham log baramhan ke hath ka bhi nahian khate. kahar ka pani tak nahian pite. maans-machhari hath se nahian chhoote, koee-koee sarab pite haian, muda luk-chhipakar. isane kisi ko nahian chhoda, beta! b de-bade tilakadhari gataphat pite haian. lekin meri rotiyaan tumhean achchhi nahian lageangi?’

rama ne muskarakar kaha, ‘prem ki rotiyoan mean am!t rahata hai, ammaan! chahe gehooan ki hoan ya bajare ki.’budhiya yahaan se chali to mano aanchal mean anand ki nidhi bhare ho.

sanbandhit lekh

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