ग़बन उपन्यास भाग-46

ek mahina aur nikal gaya. mukadame ke haeekort mean pesh hone ki tithi niyat ho gee hai. rama ke svabhav mean phir vahi pahale ki-si bhiroota aur khushamad a gee hai. aphasaroan ke ishare par nachata hai. sharab ki matra pahale se badh gee hai, vilasita ne mano panje mean daba liya hai. kabhi-kabhi usake kamare mean ek veshya zohara bhi a jati hai, jisaka gana vah bade shauq se sunata hai .

ek din usane badi hasarat ke sath zohara se kaha, ‘maian darata hooan, kahian tumase prem n badhajay. usaka natija isake siva aur kya hoga ki ro-rokar ziandagi katooan, tumase vapha ki ummid aur kya ho sakati hai!’

zohara dil mean khush hokar apani badi-badi ratanari aankhoan se usaki or takati huee boli,haan sahab, ham vapha kya janean, akhir veshya hi to thaharian! bevapha veshya bhi kahian vafadar ho sakati hai? ’

rama ne apatti karake poochha, ‘kya isamean koee shak hai? ’

zohara –‘ ‘nahian, zara bhi nahian b ap log hamare pas muhabbat se labalab bhare dil lekar ate haian, par ham usaki zara bhi kadr nahian karatian b yahi bat hai n? ’

ramanath—‘beshak.’

zohara--‘muaph kijiega, ap maradoan ki taraphadari kar rahe haian. hak yah hai ki vahaan ap log dil-bahalav ke lie jate haian, mahaz gam galat karane ke lie, mahaz anand uthane ke lie. jab apako vapha ki talash hi nahian hoti, to vah mile kyoan kar- lekin itana maian janati hooan ki hamamean jitani bechariyaan maradoan ki bevaphaee se nirash hokar apana aram-chain kho baithati haian,

unaka pata agar duniya ko chale, to aankheanan khul jayan. yah hamari bhool hai ki tamashabinoan se vapha chahate haian, chil ke ghoansale mean maans dhooandhate haian, par pyasa adami aandhe kuean ki taraph daude., to mere khayal mean usaka koee kasoor nahian.‘

us din rat ko chalate vakt zohara ne daroga ko khushakhabari di, ‘aj to hazarat khoob maje mean ae b khuda ne chaha, to do-char din ke bad bivi ka nam bhi n lean.’

daroga ne khush hokar kaha, ‘isilie to tumhean bulaya tha. maza to jab hai ki bivi yahaan se chali jae. phir hamean koee gam n rahega. maloom hota hai svarajyavaloan ne us aurat ko mila liya hai. yah sab ek hi shaitan haian.’

zohara ki amodarapht badhane lagi, yahaan tak ki rama khud apane chakame mean a gaya. usane zohara se prem jatakar aphasaroan ki najar mean apani sakh jamani chahi thi, par jaise bachche khel mean ro p date haian, vaise hi usaka premabhinay bhi premonmad ban baitha zohara use ab vapha aur muhabbat ki devi maloom hoti thi. vah jalapa ki-si suandari n sahi, batoan mean usase kahian chatur, hav-bhav

mean kahian kushal, sammohan-kala mean kahian patu thi. rama ke hriday mean ne-ne manasoobe paida hone lage.

ek din usane zohara se kaha, ‘zohara –‘ judaee ka samay a raha hai . do-char din mean mujhe yahaan se chala jana padega . phir tumhean kyoan meri yad ane lagi?’

zohara ne kaha, ‘maian tumhean n jane dooangi. yahian koee achchhi-si naukari kar lena. phir ham-tum aram se raheange .’

rama ne anurakt hokar kaha, ‘dil se kahati ho zohara? dekho, tumhean mere sir ki kasam, daga mat dena.’

zohara—‘agar yah khauph ho to nikah padha lo. nikah ke nam se chidh ho, to byah kar lo. panditoan ko bulao. ab isake siva maian apani muhabbat ka aur kya saboot dooan.’

rama nishkapat prem ka yah parichay pakar vihnal ho utha. zohara ke muanh se nikalakar in shabdoan ki sammohak-shakti kitani badhagee thi. yah kamini, jis par bade-bade rees phida haian, mere lie itana bada tyag karane ko taiyar hai! jis khan mean auroan ko baloo hi milata hai, usamean jise sone ke dale mil jayan, kya vah param bhagyashali nahian hai? rama ke man mean kee dinoan tak sangram hota raha. jalapa ke sath usaka jivan kitana niras, kitana kathin ho jayaga. vah pag-pag par apana dharm aur saty lekar kh di ho jaegi aur usaka jivan ek dirgh tapasya, ek sthayi sadhana banakar rah jaega. satvik jivan kabhi usaka adarsh nahian raha. sadharan manushyoan ki bhaanti vah bhi bhog-vilas karana chahata tha. jalapa ki or se hatakar usaka vilasasakt man prabal veg se zohara ki or khiancha. usako vrat-dharini veshyaoan ke udaharan yad ane lage. usake sath hi chanchal vritti ki grihiniyoan ki misalean bhi a pahuchian. usane nishchay kiya, yah sab dhakosala hai. n koee janm se nirdosh hai, n koee doshi. yah sab paristhiti par nirbhar hai.

zohara roj ati aur bandhan mean ek gaanth aur dekar jati . aisi sthiti mean sanyami yuvak ka asan bhi dol jata. rama to vilasi tha. ab tak vah keval isalie idhar-udhar n bhatak saka tha ki jyoanhi, usake pankh nikale, jaliye ne use apane pianjare mean band kar diya. kuchh din pianjare se bahar rahakar bhi use u dane ka sahas n hua. ab usake samane ek navin drishy tha, vah chhota-sa kulhiyoan vala pianzara nahian, balki ek gulaboan se laharata hua bag, jahaan ki kaid mean svadhinata ka anand tha. vah is bag mean kyoan n krida ka anand uthae!

sanbandhit lekh

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