लक्ष्मी की महिमा

katha
[[chitr:Lakshmi.jpg|lakshmi|thumb]] ek din lakshmi ji ki b di bahan jyeshtha ne unase kaha, 'bahut dinoan se ek bat mere mastishk mean kauandh rahi hai. sochati hooan ki tumase poochhooan ya nahian.' 'aisi kya bat hai bahan? man mean jo kuchh bhi hai, niahsankoch poochho. vaise bhi koee bat man mean n rakhakar usaka samadhan kar lena hi buddhimani hai.' lakshmi ji ne muskarakar kaha. 'maian aksar yahi sochati rahati hooan ki suandarata mean ham donoan barabar haian, phir bhi log tumhara adar karate haian aur maian jahaan bhi jati hooan, vahaan udasi chha jati hai. mujhe logoan ki ghrina aur krodh ka shikar hona p data hai jabaki ham donoan sagi bahanean haian. aisa kyoan?' lakshmi ji ne hansakar kaha, 'sagi bahan ya saman suandarata hone se hi adar nahian milata. usake lie apane ko bhi kuchh karana chahie. log mera adar isalie karate haian kyoanki maian unake ghar pahuanchate hi sukh ke sadhan juta deti hooan. sampatti aur vaibhav se anandit hokar log mera upakar manate haian, tabhi meri pooja karate haian. udhar, tumhara yah hal hai ki jisake yahaan bhi tum jati ho; usako garibi, rog aur apada sahani p dati hai. isi vajah se log tumase ghrina karate haian. koee adar nahian karata. adar pana hai to doosaroan ko sukh pahuanchao.' jyeshtha ko lakshmi ji ki bat chubh gee. unhean laga ki lakshmi ko apani mahima ka abhiman ho gaya hai. unhoanne t dap kar kaha, 'lakshmi! tum mujhase har bat mean chhoti ho−avastha mean bhi aur prabhav mean bhi. mujhe upadesh dene ka bhi vichar n karo. agar tumhean apane vaibhav ka ahankar hai to mere pas bhi apana ek prabhav hai. maian jab apani par a jaooan to tumhare karo dapati bhakt ko bhi pal bhar mean bhikhari bana dooan.' lakshmi ji ko hansi a gee aur kahane lagian, 'bahan! tum b di ho, isalie kuchh bhi kah lo. lekin jahaan tak prabhav ki bat hai, maian tumase kam nahian hooan. jisako tum bhikhari banaogi, use maian doosare din rank se phir raja bana dooangi. meri mahima ka abhi tumhean pata hi kahaan hai.' 'aur tumhean bhi meri mahima ka pata hi nahian hai. jisaki tum sahayata karogi, use maian dane−dane ke lie bhi mohataj kar dooangi.'

'dekho bahan! dane−dane ke lie to tum use mohataj kar sakati ho jisase maian rooth jaooan. jisake sir par mera varadahast n ho, usaka tum kuchh bhi biga d sakati ho. parantu jis par meri kripadrishti hai, usaka koee bhi bal tak baanka nahian kar sakata. agar tum apana prabhav dikhane ko itani hi utavali ho rahi ho to kal apana prabhav dikhakar dekh lena.' 'thik hai. bolo, kahaan chalean?' 'door kyoan jaean, pas hi anuradhapur hai. usamean ek brahman rahata hai−dinanath. vah roz mandir mean pooja karane jata hai aur mera pakka bhakt hai. usi par hamean apani−apani mahima dikhani hai.' jyeshtha ko tav a gaya. unhoanne hath jhatakakar kaha, 'thik hai, thik hai. dekh lena, kal tumhara sir hi jhuk jaega.' kahakar vah ek or chali gee. lakshmi ji vahian kh di bahan ke krodh or ahankar par muskarati rahian. doosare din donoan bahanean anuradhapur ke vishnu mandir mean pahuanchian. unhoanne vesh badal rakha tha. sadharan striyoan ki tarah ve donoan mandir ke dvar par baith geean. logoan ne dekha avashy, kiantu kisi ne unaki or koee khas dhyan nahian diya. dhyan dene vali koee khas bat thi bhi nahian. vah mandir tha aur vahaan har roz din duahkhi ate−jate rahate the. vahaan ane vale sabhi kisi n kisi pareshani mean ghire rahate the. phir bhala unhean kisi doosare ki pareshani se kya sarokar ho sakata tha. tho di der bad vahaan dinoo pandit aya. donoan bahanoan ki nazarean us par jam geean. pooja karake jab vah lautane laga to jyeshtha ne kaha, 'lakshmi! vah tumhara bhakt a raha hai. ban p de to koee sahayata karo.' 'haan, karati hooan.' kahakar lakshmi ji ne ek pola baans dinoo ke raste mean rakh diya jisamean moharean bhari huee thian. jyeshtha ne baans ko chhookar kaha, 'ab tum mera prabhav bhi dekh lena.' pooja karake laut rahe dinoo ne raste mean p da hua vah baans ka tuk da utha liya. usaka vichar tha ki vah kisi kam a jaega. ghar mean sau zarooratean hoti haian. abhi vah pandit kuchh hi age badha tha ki use ek l daka mila. l dake ne pahale pandit ji se ram−ram ki, phir b di hi namrata se bola, 'pandit ji! mujhe apani charapaee ke lie bilkul aisa hi baans chahie. dada ji ne yah kahakar bheja hai ki jao, bazar se le ao. aisa baans pandit ji kahaan milega?' dinoo ne kaha, 'maianne mol nahian liya. raste mean p da tha; so utha laya. lo, tumhean zaroorat hai to tum hi rakh lo. vaise bazar mean ek rupaye se kam ka nahian hai.' l dake ne chavanni dete hue kaha, 'magar mere pas to yah chavanni hi hai, pandit ji. abhi to ap ise hi rakhie, baki barah ane sham ko de jaooanga.' pandit ji khush the ki bina kisi hil−hujjat ke rupaya kama liya. dinoo pandit ne chavanni lekar baans l dake ko de diya aur vah chavanni apani dolachi mean rakh di.

mandir ke pas kh di donoan deviyaan yah sari lila dekh rahi thian. jyeshtha ne kaha, 'lakshmi! dekha tumane? tumhari itani sari moharean matr ek chavanni mean bik geean. aur abhi kya, yah chavanni bhi tumhare bhakt ke pas nahian rookegi. chalo, usake pichhe chalate haian aur dekhate haian ki kya hota hai.' donoan bahane dinoo ke pichhe−pichhe chalane lagian. ek talab ke pas dinoo ne dolachi rakh di aur kamal ke phool to dane laga. usi bich ek charavahe ka l daka aya aur dolachi mean rakhi huee chavanni lekar bhag gaya. dinoo ko pata hi nahian chala. phool to dakar vah apane ghar chalane laga. itane mean vahi l daka ata hua dikhaee diya jisane chavanni dekar usase baans le liya tha. qarib akar vah bola, 'pandit ji! yah baans to bahut vazani hai. dadaji ne kaha hai ki koee halka baans chahie. isaki charapaee thik n hogi. yah lijie, ap apana baans vapas le lijie.' kahakar usane baans pandit ji ke havale kar diya. dinoo ne baans le liya. lekin chavanni to dolachi mean thi hi nahian. tab usane kaha, 'beta, chavanni to kahian gir gee. tum mere sath ghar chalo, vahaan doosari de dooanga. is samay mere pas ek bhi paisa nahian hai.' 'tab ap jaie. maian sham ko akar ghar se le looanga.' yah kahakar l daka apani rah laut gaya. baans phir se pandit ji ke hi pas a gaya aur lakshmi ji haule se muskaraeean. unako is prakar muskarate dekhakar jyeshtha man hi man mean jal uthian. vah bolian, 'abhi to khel shuroo hi hua hai. dekhati chalo ki maian ise kaise tigani ka nach nachati hooan.' dinoo bechara in sab batoan se bekhabar apani hi dhun mean age badha chala ja raha tha. use kya pata tha ki vah shataranj ka mohara bana hua hai. vah to dhoop−chhaanv ki bhaanti donoan bahanoan ka prabhav sahata chupachap chala ja raha tha. age chalakar gaanv ka ek ahir mila. usane dinoo ko chavanni vapas karate hue bataya, 'pandit ji! mera l daka apaki dolachi se yah chavanni utha laya tha. vah b da hi shaitan hai. maian apaki vahi chavanni lautane aya hooan. ho sake to us shaitan ko maph kar dijiega.' dinoo ne ashirvad dekar chavanni le li aur prasann man se us l dake ko pukarane laga jo sham ko ghar akar chavanni lene ki bat kahakar lauta ja raha tha. avaz sunakar l daka laut aya. apani chavanni vapas pakar vah bhi prasann ho gaya. dinoo pandit nishchiant man se ghar ki or badhane laga. usake ek hath mean pooja ki dolachi thi aur doosare mean vahi paanch hath ka lamba baans.

rah chalate dinoo pandit soch raha tha, 'baans to kafi vazani hai. vazani hai to mazaboot bhi hoga, kyoanki thos hai. ise daravaze ke chhappar mean laga dooanga. kee sal ke lie balli se chhutakara mil jaega.' jyeshtha ko usake vichar par krodh a gaya. lakshmi ji ke prabhav se dinoo ko labh hota dekh vah man hi man buri tarah jali ja rahian thian. jab unhoanne dekha ki pandit ka ghar qarib a gaya hai to koee upay n pakar unhoanne dinoo ko marane dalane ka vichar kiya. unhoanne kaha, 'lakshmi! dhan−sampatti to maian chhin hi leti hooan, ab tumhare bhakt ke pran bhi le looangi. dekho, vah kis tarah t dap−t dap kar marata hai.' aur vah turant saanp banakar dinoo ki or dau d p dian. lakshmi ji ko tanik bhi ghabarahat nahian huee. vah usi tarah kh di muskarati rahian. sahasa dinoo chauank p da. ek bhayanak saanp phan uthae usaki or jhapat rahi tha. pran to sabhi ko priy hote haian. upay rahate koee apane ko sankat mean nahian p dane deta. dinoo ne pagadandi vala rasta chho d diya aur ek or ko bhagane laga. lekin saanp bani jyeshtha use bhala kahaan chho dane vali thian. vah to us garib ke pranoan ki pyasi ho chuki thian. vah bhi dinoo ke age−pichhe, daean−baean barabar dau dati hi rahian. dinoo ghabara gaya. usane hath jo dakar kaha, 'nag devata! maianne tumhara kuchh nahian biga da. shaanti se apani rah laut jao. akhir kyoan mujh garib ke pichhe p de ho? vyarth mean kisi brahman ko satana achchhi bat nahian hai.' lekin vah nag to jyeshtha ka roop tha, jo dinoo ko kisi bhi tarah dasana chahata tha. prarthana par kuchh bhi dhyan n dekar vah saanp ek baragi phuphakarata hua jhapat p da. jab dinoo ne dekh liya ki bina sangharsh kie ab jan nahian bachegi to usane pran−raksha ke lie bharapoor zor lagakar vahi baans saanp ke oopar de mara. dharati se takarate hi baans ke do tuk de ho ge aur usake bhitar bhari hueean moharean khan−khanakar bikhar geean, jaise lakshmi hans rahi ho.

dinoo ke muanh se hairatapoorn chikh−si nikali, 'are!' tho di der ke lie vah thaga−sa kh da aankhean pha de, un moharoan ki or dekhata raha. ek pal ke lie to vah saanp ko bhool hi gaya. parantu phir jaise use jhataka−sa laga. saanp ka dhyan ate hi usane usaki or garadan ghumayi, to dekha ki baans ki chot se saanp ki kamar toot gayi hai aur vah lahooluhan avastha mean jha di ki or bhaga ja raha hai. doosare kshan vah moharoan par lot gaya aur kahane laga, 'teri jay ho lakshmi mata! jivan−bhar ka daridray aj door ho gaya. teri mahima kaun jan sakata hai. chalo, ab ghar mean baithakar tumhari pooja−arati karooanga.' aur phir jaldi−jaldi usane sari moharean aangochhe mean baandh dian aur lambe−lambe qadamoan se ghar ki or chal diya. pichhe ek pe d ki chhaya mean kh di lakshmi apani bahan jyeshtha se muskarakar poochh rahian thian, 'kaho bahan! sach batana, b dappan ki thah mili ki abhi nahian? b dappan kisi ko kuchh dene mean hi hai, usase chhinane mean nahian.' jyeshtha ne koee uttar nahian diya. vah chupachap udas kh di rahian. lakshmi ji ne unaka hath pak dakar kaha, 'phir bhi, ham donoan bahanean haian. jahaan raheangian, sath hi raheangian. ao, ab chalean.'

sanbandhit lekh

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