सज्जनता का दंड -प्रेमचंद

sadharan manushy ki tarah shahajahaanpur ke distrikt ianjiniyar saradar shivasianh mean bhi bhalaiyaan aur buraiyaan donoan hi vidyaman thian. bhalaee yah thi ki unake yahaan nyay aur daya mean koee aantar n tha. buraee yah thi ki ve sarvatha nirlobh aur niahsvarth the. bhalaee ne matahatoan ko nidar aur alasi bana diya tha, buraee ke karan us vibhag ke sabhi adhikari unaki jan ke dushman ban gaye the.

pratahkal ka samay tha. ve kisi pul ki nigarani ke lie taiyar kh de the. magar saees abhi tak mithi niand le raha tha. rat ko use achchhi tarah sahej diya tha ki pau phatane ke pahale ga di taiyar kar lena. lekin subah bhi huee, soory bhagavanh ne darshan bhi diye, shital kiranoan mean garami bhi ayi, par saees ki niand abhi tak nahian tooti.

saradar sahab kh de-kh de thak kar ek kursi par baith gaye. saees to kisi tarah jaga, parantu ardali ke chaparasiyoan ka pata nahian. jo mahashay dak lene gaye the ve ek thakur dvara mean kh de charanamrit ki pariksha kar rahe the. jo thekedar ko bulane gaye the ve baba ramadas ki seva mean baithe gaanje ka dam laga rahe the.

dhoop tej hoti jati thi. saradar sahab jhuanjhala kar makan mean chale gaye aur apani patni se bole, itana din chadh aya, abhi tak ek chaparasi ka bhi pata nahian. inake mare to mere nak mean dam a gaya hai.

patni ne divar ki or dekh kar divar se kaha, yah sab unhean sir chadhane ka phal hai.

saradar sahab chidh kar bole, kya karooan, unhean phaansi de dooan ?

saradar sahab ke pas motar kar ka to kahana hi kya, koee phitan bhi n thi. ve apane ikke se hi prasann the, jise unake naukar-chakar apani bhasha mean u danakhatola kahate the. shahar ke log use itana adar-soochak nam n dekar chhak da kahana hi uchit samajhate the. is tarah saradar sahab any vyavaharoan mean bhi b de mitavyayi the. unake do bhaee ilahabad mean padhate the. vidhava mata banaras mean rahati thian. ek vidhava bahin bhi unhian par avalambit thi. inake siva kee garib l dakoan ko chhatravrittiyaan bhi dete the. inhian karanoan se ve sada khali hath rahate ! yahaan tak ki unake kap doan par bhi is arthik dasha ke chihn dikhayi dete the ! lekin yah sab kasht sah kar bhi ve lobh ko apane pas phatakane n dete the ! jin logoan par unaka sneh tha ve unaki sajjanata ko sarahate the aur unhean devata samajhate the. unaki sajjanata se unhean koee hani n hoti thi, lekin jin logoan se unake vyavasayik sambandh the ve unake sadbhavoan ke grahak n the, kyoanki unhean hani hoti thi. yahaan tak ki unhean apani sahadharmini se bhi kabhi-kabhi apriy batean sunani p dati thian.

ek din ve daftar se aye to unaki patni ne snehapoorn dhang se kaha, tumhari yah sajjanata kis kam ki, jab sara sansar tumako bura kah raha hai.

saradar sahab ne dridhata se javab diya, sansar jo chahe kahe paramatma to dekhata hai.

rama ne yah javab pahale hi soch liya. vah boli, maian tumase vivad to karati nahian, magar jara apane dil mean vichar karake dekho ki tumhari is sachaee ka doosaroan par kya asar p data hai ? tum to achchha vetan pate ho. tum agar hath n badhao to tumhara nirvah ho sakata hai ? rookhi rotiyaan mil hi jayangi, magar ye das-das paanch-paanch rupaye ke chaparasi, muharrir, daftari bechare kaise gujar karean. unake bhi bal-bachche haian. unake bhi kutumb-parivar haian. shadi-gami, tithi-tyohar yah sab unake pas lage hue haian. bhalamanasi ka bhesh banaye kam nahian chalata. batao unaka gujar kaise ho ? abhi ramadin chaparasi ki gharavali ayi thi. rote-rote aanchal bhigata tha. l daki sayani ho gayi hai. ab usaka byah karana p dega. brahman ki jati hajaroan ka kharch. batao usake aansoo kisake sir p deange ?

ye sab batean sach thian. inase saradar sahab ko inakar nahian ho sakata tha. unhoanne svayan is vishay mean bahut kuchh vichar kiya tha. yahi karan tha ki vah apane matahatoan ke sath b di narami ka vyavahar karate the. lekin saralata aur shalinata ka atmik gaurav chahe jo ho, unaka arthik mol bahut kam hai. ve bole, tumhari batean sab yatharth haian, kiantu maian vivash hooan. apane niyamoan ko kaise todooan ? yadi mera vash chale to maian un logoan ka vetan badha dooan. lekin yah nahian ho sakata ki maian khud loot machaooan aur unhean lootane dooan.

rama ne vyangyapoorn shabdoan mean kaha, to yah hatya kis par p degi ?

saradar sahab ne tivr ho kar uttar diya, yah un logoan par p degi jo apani haisiyat aur amadani se adhik kharch karana chahate haian. aradali banakar kyoan vakil ke l dake se l daki byahane ko thanate haian. daftari ko yadi tahaluve ki zaroorat ho to yah kisi pap kary se kam nahian. mere saees ki stri agar chaandi ki sil gale mean dalana chahe to yah usaki moorkhata hai. is jhoothi b daee ka uttaradata maian nahian ho sakata.

ianjiniyaroan ka thekedaroan se kuchh aisa hi sambandh hai jaise madhu-makkhiyoan ka phooloan se. agar ve apane niyat bhag se adhik pane ki cheshta n karean to unase kisi ko shikayat nahian ho sakati. yah madhu-ras kamishan kahalata hai. rishvat lok aur paralok donoan ka hi sarvanash kar deti hai. usamean bhay hai, chori hai, badamashi hai. magar kamishan ek manohar vatika hai, jahaan n manushy ka dar hai, n paramatma ka bhay, yahaan tak ki vahaan atma ki chhipi huee chutakiyoan ka bhi gujar nahian hai. aur kahaan tak kahean usaki or badanami aankh bhi nahian utha sakati. yah vah balidan hai jo hatya hote hue bhi dharm ka ek aansh hai. aisi avastha mean yadi saradar shivasianh apane ujjval charitr ko is dhabbe se saf rakhate the aur us par abhiman karate the to kshama ke patr the.

march ka mahina bit raha tha. chiph ianjiniyar sahab zile mean muayana karane a rahe the. magar abhi tak imaratoan ka kam apoorn tha. s dakean kharab ho rahi thian, thekedaroan ne mitti aur kank d bhi nahian jama kiye the.

saradar sahab roj thekedaroan ko takid karate the, magar isaka kuchh phal n hota tha.

ek din unhoanne sabako bulaya. ve kahane lage, tum log kya yahi chahate ho ki maian is zile se badanam hokar jaooan. maianne tumhare sath koee bura salook nahian kiya. maian chahata to apase kam chhin kar khud kara leta, magar maianne apako hani pahuanchana uchit n samajha. usaki mujhe yah saza mil rahi hai. khair !

thekedar log yahaan se chale to batean hone lagian. mistar gopaladas bole, ab ate-dal ka bhav maloom ho jayaga.

shahabaz khaan ne kaha, kisi tarah isaka janaja nikale to yahaan se ...

seth chunnilal ne pharamaya, ianjiniyar se meri jan-pahachan hai. maian usake sath kam kar chuka hooan. vah unhean khoob lathe dega.

is par boodhe haridas ne upadesh diya, yaro, svarth ki bat hai. nahian to sach yah hai ki yah manushy nahian, devata hai. bhala aur nahian to sal bhar mean kamishan ke 10 hazar to hote hoange. itane rupayoan ko thikare ki tarah tuchchh samajhana kya koee sahaj bat hai ? ek ham haian ki kau diyoan ke pichhe eeman bechate phirate haian. jo sajjan purush hamase ek paee ka ravadar n ho, sab prakar ke kasht utha kar bhi jisaki niyat daanvaandol n ho, usake sath aisa nich aur kutil baratav karana p data hai. ise apane abhagy ke siva aur kya samajhean.

shahabaz khaan ne pharamaya haan; isamean to koee shak nahian ki yah shakhs neki ka pharishta hai.

seth chunnilal ne gambhirata se kaha, khaan sahab ! bat to vahi hai, jo tum kahate ho. lekin kiya kya jay ? nekaniyati se to kam nahian chalata. yah duniya to chhal-kapat ki hai.

mistar gopaladas bi. e. pas the. ve garv ke sath bole, inhean jab is tarah rahana tha to naukari karane ki kya zaroorat thi ? yah kaun nahian janata ki niyat ko saf rakhana achchhi bat hai. magar yah bhi to dekhana chahie ki isaka doosaroan par kya asar p data hai. hamako to aisa adami chahie jo khud khaye aur hamean bhi khilave. khud haluva khay, hamean rookhi rotiyaan hi khilave. vah agar ek rupaya kamishan lega to usaki jagah paanch ka fayada kar dega. in mahashay ke yahaan kya hai ? isilie ap jo chahean kahean, meri to kabhi inase nibh nahian sakati.

shahabaz khaan bole, haan, nek aur pak-saph rahana zaroor achchhi chiz hai, magar aisi neki hi se kya jo doosaroan ki jan le le.

boodhe haridas ki batoan ki jin logoan ne pushti ki thi ve sab gopaladas ki haan mean haan milane lage ! nirbal atmaoan mean sachaee ka prakash juganoo ki chamak hai.

saradar sahab ke ek putri thi. usaka vivah merath ke ek vakil ke l dake se thahara tha. l daka honahar tha. jati-kul ka ooancha tha. saradar sahab ne kee mahine ki dau d-dhoop mean is vivah ko tai kiya tha. aur sab batean tai ho chuki thian, keval dahej ka nirnay nahian hua tha. aj vakil sahab ka ek patr aya. usane is bat ka bhi nishchay kar diya, magar vishvas, asha aur vachan ke bilakul pratikool. pahale vakil sahab ne ek zile ke ianjiniyar ke sath kisi prakar ka thaharav vyarth samajha. b di sasti udarata prakat ki. is lajjit aur ghrinit vyavahar par khoob aansoo bahaye. magar jab zyada poochhatachh karane par saradar sahab ke dhan-vaibhav ka bhed khul gaya tab dahej ka thaharana avashyak ho gaya. saradar sahab ne ashankit hathoan se patr khola, paanch hazar rupaye se kam par vivah nahian ho sakata. vakil sahab ko bahut khed aur lajja thi ki ve is vishay mean spasht hone par majaboor kiye gaye. magar ve apane khanadan ke kee boodhe khurrat, vicharahin, svarthaandh mahatmaoan ke hathoan bahut tang the. unaka koee vansh n tha. ianjiniyar sahab ne ek lambi saans khianchi sari ashaean mitti mean mil gayian. kya sochate the, kya ho gaya. vikal ho kar kamare mean tahalane lage.

unhoanne jara der pichhe patr ko utha liya aur aandar chale gaye. vichara ki yah patr rama ko sunavean, magar phir khayal aya ki yahaan sahanubhooti ki koee asha nahian. kyoan apani nirbalata dikhaooan ? kyoan moorkh banooan ? vah bina batoan ke bat n karegi. yah soch kar ve aangan se laut gaye.

saradar sahab svabhav ke b de dayalu the aur komal hriday apattiyoan mean sthir nahian rah sakata. ve duahkh aur glani se bhare hue soch rahe the ki maianne aise kaun se bure kam kiye haian jinaka mujhe yah phal mil raha hai. barasoan ki dau d-dhoop ke bad jo kary siddh hua tha vah kshan matr mean nasht ho gaya. ab vah meri samarthy se bahar hai. maian use nahian samhal sakata. charoan or aandhakar hai. kahian asha ka prakash nahian. koee mera sahayak nahian. unake netr sajal ho gaye.

samane mej par thekedaroan ke bil rakhe hue the. ve kee saptahoan se yoan hi p de the. saradar ne unhean khol kar bhi n dekha tha. aj is atmik glani aur nairashy ki avastha mean unhoanne in biloan ko satrishn aankhoan se dekha. jara se ishare par ye sari kathinaiyaan door ho sakati haian. chaparasi aur klark keval meri sammati ke sahare sab kuchh kar leange. mujhe jaban hilane ki bhi zaroorat nahian. n mujhe lajjit hi hona p dega. in vicharoan ka itana prabaly hua ki ve vastav mean biloan ko utha kar gaur se dekhane aur hisab lagane lage ki unamean kitani nikasi ho sakati hai.

magar shighr hi atma ne unhean jaga diya ah ! maian kis bhram mean p da hua hooan ? kya us atmik pavitrata ko, jo meri janm-bhar ki kamaee hai, keval tho de se dhan par arpan kar dooan ? jo maian apane sahakariyoan ke samane garv se sir uthaye chalata tha, jisase motarakar vale bhratrigan aankhean nahian mila sakate the, vahi maian aj apane us sare gaurav aur man ko, apani sampoorn atmik sampatti ko das-paanch hazar rupayoan par tyag dooan. aisa kadapi nahian ho sakata.

ab us kuvichar ko parast karane ke lie, jisane kshanamatr ke lie un par vijay pa li thi, ve us sunasan kamare mean zor se thatha kar hanse. chahe yah hansi un biloan ne aur kamare ki divaroan ne n suni ho, magar unaki atma ne avashy suni. us atma ko ek kathin pariksha mean par pane par param anand hua.

saradar sahab ne un biloan ko utha kar mej ke niche dal diya. phir unhean pairoan se kuchala. tab is vijay par muskarate hue ve andar gaye.

b de ianjiniyar sahab niyat samay par shahajahaanpur aye. usake sath saradar sahab ka durbhagy bhi aya. zile ke sare kam adhoore p de hue the. unake khanasama ne kaha huzoor ! kam kaise poora ho ? saradar sahab thekedaroan ko bahut tang karate haian. hedaklark ne daftar ke hisab ko bhram aur bhooloan se bhara hua paya. unhean saradar sahab ki taraph se n koee davat di gayi n koee bheant. to kya ve saradar sahab ke natedar the jo galatiyaan n nikalate.

jile ke thekedaroan ne ek bahumooly dali sajayi aur use b de ianjiniyar sahab ki seva mean le kar hajir hue. ve bole, huzoor ! chahe gulamoan ko goli mar dean, magar saradar sahab ka anyay ab nahian saha jata. kahane ko to kamishan nahian lete magar sach poochhie to jan le lete haian.

chiph ianjiniyar sahab ne muaine ki kitab mean likha, ‘saradar shivasianh bahut eemanadar adami haian. unaka charitr ujjval hai, magar ve itane b de zile ke kary ka bhar nahian sambhal sakate.’

parinam yah hua ki ve ek chhote-se zile mean bhej diye gaye aur unaka daraja bhi ghata diya gaya.

saradar sahab ke mitroan aur snehiyoan ne b de samaroh se ek jalasa kiya. usamean unaki dharmanishtha aur svatantrata ki prashansa ki. sabhapati ne sajalanetr ho kar kampit svar mean kaha, saradar sahab ke viyog ka duahkh hamare dil mean sada khatakata rahega. yah ghav kabhi n bharega.

magar ‘pheyaravel dinar’ mean yah bat siddh ho gayi ki svadisht padarthoan ke samane viyog ka duahkh dussah nahian.

yatra ke saman taiyar the. saradar sahab jalase se aye to rama ne unhean bahut udas aur malinamukh dekha. usane bar-bar kaha tha ki b de ianjiniyar ke khanasama ko inam do, hed klark ki davat karo; magar saradar sahab ne usaki bat n mani thi. isalie jab usane suna ki unaka daraja ghata aur badali bhi huee tab usane b di nirdayata se apane vyangy-ban chalaye. magar is vakt unhean udas dekh kar usase n raha gaya. boli, kyoan itane udas ho ? saradar sahab ne uttar diya, kya karooan hansooan ? rama ne gambhir svar se kaha, hansana hi chahie. roye to vah jisane kau diyoan par apani atma bhrasht ki ho jisane rupayoan par apana dharm becha ho. vah buraee ka dand nahian hai. yah bhalaee aur sajjanata ka dand hai, ise sanand jhelana chahie.

yah kah usane pati ki or dekha to netroan mean sachcha anurag bhara hua dikhayi diya. saradar sahab ne bhi usaki or snehapoorn drishti se dekha. unaki hridayeshvari ka mukharaviand sachche amod se vikasit tha. use gale laga kar ve bole, rama ! mujhe tumhari hi sahanubhooti ki zaroorat thi, ab maian is dand ko saharsh sahooanga.

sanbandhit lekh

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