कप्तान साहब -प्रेमचंद

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

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jagat sianh ko skool jan kunain khane ya machhali ka tel pine se kam apriy n tha. vah sailani, avara, ghumakk d yuvak thaan kabhi amarood ke bagoan ki or nikal jata aur amaroodoan ke sath mali ki galiy aauan b de shauq se khata. kabhi dariya ki sair karata aur mallahoan ko doangiyoan mean baithakar us par ke dehatoan mean nikal jata. galiy aauan khane mean use maja ata tha. galiy aauan khane ka koee avasar vah hath se n jane deta. savar ke gho de ke pichhe tali bajana, ekko ko pichhe se pak d kar apani or khianchana, boodhoan ki chal ki nakal karana, usake manoranjan ke vishay the. alasi kam to nahian karata; par durvyasanoan ka das hota hai, aur durvyasan dhan ke bina poore nahian hote. jagatasianh ko jab avasar milata ghar se rupaye u da le jat. nakad n mile, to baratan aur kap de utha le jane mean bhi use sankoch n hota tha. ghar mean shishiy aauan aur botalean thian, vah sab usane ek-ek karake gud di bazar pahuancha di. purane dinoan ki kitani chizean ghar mean p di thian, usake mare ek bhi n bachi. is kala mean aisa daksh or nipun tha ki usaki chaturaee aur patuta par ashchary hota tha. ek bar bahar hi bahar, keval karnisoan ke sahare apane do-manjila makan ki chhat par chadh gaya aur oopar hi se pital ki ek b di thali lekar utar aya. ghar valean ko ahat tak n mili.

usake pita thakur bhakt sihan apane kasbe ke dakakhane ke muanshi the. aphasaroan ne unhean shahar ka dakakhana b di dau d-dhoop karane par diya tha; kintu bhakt sianh jin iradoan se yahaan aye the, unamean se ek bhi poora n hua. ulati hani yah huee ki dehato mean jo bhaji-sag, upale-eedhan muft mil jate the, ve sab yahaan band ho gaye. yahaan sabase purana gharaanv thaan n kisi ko daba sakate the, n sata sakate the. is duravastha mean jagatasianh ki hathalapakiy aauan bahut akharatian. anhoanne kitani hi bar use b di nirdayata se pita. jagatasianh bhimakay hone par bhi chupake mean mar kha liya karata thaan agar vah apane pita ke hath pak d leta, to vah hal bhi n sakate; par jagatasianh itana sinajor n tha. haan, mar-pit, ghu daki-dhamaki kisi ka bhi us par asar n hota tha.

jagatasianh jyoan hi ghar mean qadam rakhata; charoan or se k aauanv-k aauanv mach jati, m aauan dur-dur karake dau dati, bahane galiy aauan den lagati; mano ghar mean koee s aauan d ghus aya ho. ghar tale usaki soorat se jalate the. in tiraskaroan ne use nirlajj bana diya thaan kashtoan ke jnan se vah nirdvandv-sa ho gaya tha. jahaan niand a jati, vahian p d rahata; jo kuchh mil jat, vahi kha leta.

jyoan-jyoan ghar valean ko usaki chor-kala ke gupt sadhanoan ka jnan hota jata tha, ve usase chaukanne hote jate the. yahaan tak ki ek bar poore mahine-bhar tak usaki dal n gali. charas vale ke kee rupaye oopar chadh gaye. g aauanje vale ne dhuaandhar takaje karane shuroo kiy. halavaee k davi batean sunane laga. bechare jagath ko nikalana mushkil ho gaya. rat-din tak-jh aauank mean rahata; par ghat n milat thi. akhir ek din billi ke bhagoan chhianka toota. bhaktasianh dopahar ko dakakhanean se chale, jo ek bima-rajistri jeb mean dal li. kaun jane koee harakara ya dakiya shararat kar jae; kiantu ghar aye to liphaphe ko achakan ki jeb se nikalane ki sudhi n rahi. jagatasianh to tak lagaye hue tha hi. pese ke lobh se jeb tatoli, to liphapha mil gaya. us par kee ane ke tikat lage the. vah kee bar tikat chura kar adhe damoan par bech chuka tha. chat liphapha u da diya. yadi use maloom hota ki usamean not hean, to kadachit vah n chhoota; lekin jab usane liphapha pha d dala aur usamean se not nik p de to vah b de sankat mean p d gaya. vah phata hua liphapha gala-pha d kar usake dushkrity ko dhikkarane laga. usaki dasha us shikari ki-si ho gayi, jo chi diyoan ka shikar karane jae aur anajan mean kisi adami par nishana mar de. usake man mean pashchatap tha, lajja thi, du:kh tha, par use bhool ka dand sahane ki shakti n thi. usane not liphaphe mean rakh diye aur bahar chala gaya.

garami ke din the. dopahar ko sara ghar so raha tha; par jagath ki aankhean mean niand n thi. aj usaki buri tarah kuandi hogi— isamean sandeh n tha. usaka ghar par rahana thik nahian, das-p aauanch din ke lie use kahian khisak jana chahie. tab tak logoan ka krodh shaant ho jata. lekin kahian door gaye bina kam n chalega. basti mean vah krodh din tak ajnatavas nahian kar sakata. koee n koee zaroor hi usaka pata dega or vah pak d liya jayaga. door jane kek lie kuchh n kuchh kharch to pas hona hi chahie. kyoan n vah liphaphe mean se ek not nikal le? yah to maloom hi ho jayaga ki usi ne liphapha pha da hai, phir ek not nikal lene mean kya hani hai? dada ke pas rupaye to he hi, jhak mar kar de deange. yah sochakar usane das rupaye ka ek not u da liya; magar usi vakt usake man mean ek nayi kalpana ka pradurbhav hua. agar ye sab rupaye lekar kisi doosare shahar mean koee dookan khol le, to b da maja ho. phir ek-ek paise ke lie use kyoan kisi ki chori karani p de! kuchh dinoan mean vah bahut-sa rupaya jama karake ghar ayega; to log kitane chakit ho jaeeange!

usane liphaphe ko phir nikala. usamean kul do sau roope ke not the. do sau mean doodh ki dookan khoob chal sakati hai. akhir murari ki dookan mean do-char kadhav aur do-char pital ke thaloan ke siva aur kya hai? lekin kitane that se rahata he! rupayoan ki charas u da deta he. ek-ek d aauanv par das-das roope rakh deta hai, napha n hota, to vah that kahaan se nibhata? is ananad-kalpana mean vah itana magn hua ki usaka man usake kaboo se bahar ho gaya, jaise pravah mean kisi ke p aauanv ukh d jaeean or vah laharoan mean bah jae.

usi din sham ko vah bambee chal diya. doosare hi din muanshi bhaktasianh par gaban ka mukadama dayar ho gaya.

2

bambee ke kile ke maidan mean baian d baj raha tha aur rajapoot rejimeant ke sajile suandar javan kavayad kar rahe the, jis prakar hava badaloan ko ne-ne roop mean banati aur biga dati hai, usi bh aauanti sena nayak sainikoan ko ne-ne roop mean banati aur biga dati hai, usi bh aauanti sena nayak sainikoan ko ne-ne roop mean bana biga d raha tha.

jab kavayad khatam ho gayi, to ek chharahare dil ka yuvak nayak ke samane akar kh da ho gaya. nayak ne poochha—kya nam hai? sainik ne fauji salam karake kaha—jagatasianh?

‘kya chahate ho.’

‘fauj mean bharati kar lijie.’

‘marane se to nahian darate?’

‘bilakul nahian—rajapoot hooan.’

‘bahut k di mehanat karani p degi.’

‘isaka bhi dar nahian.’

‘adan jana p dega.’

‘khushi se jaooanga.’

kaptan ne dekha, bala ka hajir-javab, manachala, himmat ka dhani javan hai, turant fauj mean bharati kar liya. tisare din rejimeant adan ko ravana hua. magar jyoan-jyoan jahaz age chalata tha, jagath ka dil pichhe rah jata tha. jab tak zamin ka kinara najar ata raha, vah jahaz ke dek par kh da anurakt netroan se use dekhata raha. jab vah bhoomi-tat jal mean vilin ho gaya to usane ek thandi s aauans li aur muanh dh aauanp kar rone laga. aj jivan mean pahali bar use priyajanoan ki yad ayi. vah chhota-sa qasba, vah g aauanje ki dookan, vah sair-sapate, vah suhood-mitroan ke jamaghat aankhoan mean phirane lage. kaun jane, phir kabhi unase bheant hogi ya nahian. ek bar vah itana bechain hua ki ji mean ay, pani mean kood p de.

3

jagatasianh ko adan mean rahate tin mahine gujar ge. bh aauanti-bh aauanti ki navinataoan ne kee din tak use mugdh kiye rakha; lekinah purane sanskar phir jagrat hone lage. ab kabhi-kabhi use snehamayi mata ki yad ane lagi, jo pita ke krodh, bahanoan ke dhikkar aur svajanoan ke tiraskar mean bhi usaki raksha karati thi. use vah din yad aya, jab ek bar vah bimar p da tha. usake bachane ki koee asha n thi, par n to pita ko usaki kuchh chinta thi, n bahanoan ko. keval mata thi, jo rat ki rat usake sirahane baithi apani madhur, snehamayi batoan se usaki pi da shaant karati rahi thi. un dinoan kitani bar usane us devi ko niv ratri mean rote dekha tha. vah svayan rogoan se jirjh ho rahi thi; lekin usaki seva-shushroosha mean vah apani vyatha ko aisi bhool gayi thi, mano use koee kasht hi nahian. kya use mata ke darshan phir hoange? vah isi kshobh or nerashy mean samudr-tat par chala jata aur ghantoan anant jal-pravah ko dekha karata. kee dinoan se use ghar par ek patr bhejane ki ichchha ho rahi thi, kiantu lajja aur glanik kake karan vah talata jata tha. akhir ek din usase n raha gaya. usane patr likha aur apane aparadhoan ke lie kshama m aauang. patr adi se ant tak bhakti se bhara hua thaan aant mean usane in shabdoan mean apani mata ko ashvasan diya tha—mata ji, maine b de-b de utpat kiy hean, ap leg mujhase tang a gayi thi, mai un sari bhooloan ke lie sachche hriday se lajjit hooan aur apako vishvas dilata hooan ki jita raha, to kuchh n kuchh karake dikhaooanga. tab kadachit apako mujhe apana putr kahane mean sankoch n hoga. mujhe arshivad dijie ki apani pratijna ka palan kar sakooan.’

yah patr likhakar usane dakakhane mean chho da aur usi din se uttar ki pratiksha karane laga; kiantu ek mahina gujar gaya aur koee javab n aya. asaka ji ghab dane laga. javab kyoan nahian ata—kahian mata ji bimar to nahian haian? shayad dada ne krodh-vash javab n likha hoga? koee aur vipatti to nahian a p di? kaimp mean ek vriksh ke niche kuchh sipahiyoan ne shaligram ki ek moorti rakh chho di thi. kuchh shraddhaloo sainik roj us pratima par jal chadhaya karate the. jagatasianh unaki hansi u daya karata; par ap vah vikshiptoan ki bh aauanti pratima ke sammukh jakar b di der tak mastak jhukaye betha raha. vah isi dhyanavastha mean baitha tha ki kisi ne usaka nam lekar pukar, yah daftar ka chaparasi tha aur usake nam ki chitthi lekar aya thaan jagatasianh ne patr hath mean liya, to usaki sari deh k aauanp uthi. eeshvar ki stuti karake usane liphapha khola or patr padha. likha tha—‘tumhare dada ko gaban ke abhiyog mean p aauanch varsh ki saza ho gee. tumhari mata is shok mean maranasann hai. chhutti mile, to ghar chale ao.‘

jagatasianh ne usi vakt kaptan ke pas jakar kah —‘huzoor, meri m aauan bimar hai, mujhe chhutti de dijie.’

kaptan ne kathor aankhoan se dekhakar kaha—abhi chhutti nahian mil sakati.

‘to mera istipha le lijie.’

‘abhi istipha nahian liya ja sakata.’ ‘mai ab ek kshan bhi nahian rah sakata.’

‘rahana p dega. tum logoan ko bahut jald labh par jana p dega.’

‘l daee chhi d gayi! ah, tab maian ghar nahian jaooanga? ham log kab tak yahaan se jaeeange?’

‘bahut jald, do hi char dinoan mean.’

4

char varsh bit ge. kaiptan jagatasianh ka-sa yoddha us rejimeant mean nahian haian. kathin avasthaoan mean usaka sahas aur bhi uttejit ho jata hai. jis mahim mean sabaki himmate javab de jati hai, use sar karana usi ka kam hai. halle aur dhave mean vah sadaiv sabase age rahata hai, usaki tyoriyoan par kabhi mail nahian ata; usake sath hi vah itana vinamr, itana ganbhir, itana prasannachit hai ki sare aphasar or matahat usaki b daee karate haian, usaka punarjitan-sa ho gaya. us par aphasaroan ko itana vishvas hai ki ab ve pratyek vishay mean usase paramarsh karate hean. jisase poochhie, vahi vir jagatasianh ki viroodavali suna dega—kaise usane jarmanoan ki megajin mean ag lagayi, kaise apane kaptan ko mashinaganoan ki mar se nikala, kaise apane ek matahat sipahi ko kandhe par lekar nil aya. aisa jan p data hai, use apane pranoan ka moh nahi, mano vah kal ko khojata phirata ho!

lekin nity ratri ke samay, jab jagatasianh ko avakash milata hai, vah apani chholadari mean akele baithakar gharavaloan ki yad kar liya karata hai—do-char aansoo ki bande avashy gira deta he. vah pratimas apane vetan ka b da bhag ghar bhej deta hai, aur aisa koee saptah nahian jata jab ki vah mata ko patr n likhata ho. sabase b di chianta use apane pita ki hai, jo aj usi ke dushkarmo ke karan karavas ki yatana jhel rahe haian. hay! vah kaun din hoga, jab ki vah unake charanoan par sir rakhakar apana aparadh kshama karayega, aur vah usake sir par hath rakhakar arshivad deange?

5

sava char varsh bit ge. sandhya ka samay hai. naini jel ke dvar par bhi d lagi huee hai. kitane hi kaidiyoan ki miyad poori ho gayi hai. unhean liva jane ke lie unake gharavale aye hue hai; kintu boodha bhaktasianh apani aandheri kothari mean sir jhukaye udas baitha hua hai. usaki kamar jhuk kar kaman ho gayi hai. deh asthi-panjar-matr rah gayi he. aisa jan p data hean, kisi chatur shilpi ne ek akal- pi dit manushy ki moorti banakar rakh di hai. usaki bhi miyad poori ho gayi hai; lekin usake ghar se koee nahian aya. aye kaun? ane val tha hi kaun?

ek boodh kintu hrisht-pusht kaidi ne akar usak kandha hilaya aur bola—kaho bhagat, koee ghar se aya?

bhaktasianh ne kanpit kanth-svar se kaha—ghar par hai hi kaun?

‘ghar to chaloge hi?’

‘mere ghar kahaan hai?’

‘to kya yahi p de rahoange?’

‘agar ye log nikal n deange, to yahian p da rahooanga.’

aj char sal ke bad bhagatasianh ko apane prata dit, nirvasit putr ki yad a rahi thi. jisake karan jitan ka sarvanash ho gaya; abaroo mit gayi; ghar barabad ho gaya, usaki smriti bhi asahay thi; kintu aj nairashy or du:kh ke athah sagar mean doobate hue unhoanne usi tinake ka sahar liyaan n-jane us bechare ki kya dakhsha huee. lakh bura hai, to bhi apana l daka he. khanadan ki nishani to he. marooanga to char aansoo to bahayega; do chilloo pani to dega. hay! maine usake sath kabhi prem ka vyavahar nahian kiyaan jara bhi shararat karata, to yamadoot ki bh aauanti usaki gardan par savar ho jata. ek bar rasoee mean bina pair dhoye chale jane ke dand mean mene use ulata lataka diya tha. kitani bar keval zor se bolane par maianne us vamache lagaye the. putr-sa ratn pakar maianne usaka adar n kiyaan usi ka dand hai. jahaan prem ka bandhan shithil ho, vahaan parivar ki raksha kaise ho sakati hai?

6

sabera hua. asha ki soory nikala. aj usaki rashmiy aauan kitani komal aur madhur thian, vayu kitani sukhad, akash kitana manohar, vriksh kitane hare-bhare, pakshiyoan ka kalarav kitana mitha! sari prakriti ash ke rang mean rangi huee thi; par bhaktasianh ke lie charoan or dhare aandhakar tha.

jel ka aphasar aya. kaidi ek pankti mean kh de hue. aphasar ek-ek ka nam lekar rihaee ka paravana dene laga. kaidiyoan ke chehare asha se praphulit the. jisaka nam ata, vah khush-khush aphasar ke pas jat, paravana leta, jhukakar salam karata aur tab apane vipattikal ke sangiyoan se gale milakar bahar nikal jata. usake gharavale dau dakar usase lipat jate. koee paise luta raha tha, kahian mithaiy aauan b aauanti ja rahi thian, kahian jel ke karmachariyoan ko inam diya ja raha tha. aj narak ke putale vinamrata ke devata bane hue the.

ant mean bhaktasianh ka nam aya. vah sir jhukaye ahista-ahista jelar ke pas gaye aur udasin bhav se paravana lekar jel ke dvar ki or chale, mano samane koee samudr laharean mar raha hai. dvar se bahar nikal kar vah zamin par baith gaye. kahaan jaean?

sahasa unhoanne ek sainik aphasar ko gho de par savar, jel ki or ate dekha. usaki deh par khaki varadi thi, sir par karachobi safa. ajib shan se gho de par baitha hua tha. usake pichhe-pichhe ek phitan a rahi thi. jel ke sipahiyoan ne aphasar ko dekhate hi bandookean sanbhali aur lain mean kh de hakar salam kiya.

bhaktasasianh ne man mean kaha—ek bhagyavan vah hai, jisake lie phitan a rahi hai; or ek abhaga mai hooan, jisaka kahian thikana nahian.

fauji aphasar ne idhar-udhar dekha aur gho de se utar kar sidhe bhaktasianh ke samane akar kh da ho gaya.

bhaktasianh ne use dhyan se dekha aur tab chauankakar uth kh de hue aur bole—are! beta jagatasianh!

jagatasianh rota hua unake pairoan par gir p da.

sanbandhit lekh

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