दूध का दाम -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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ab b de-b de shaharoan mean daiyaan, narsean aur ledi daktar, sabhi paida ho gayi haian; lekin dehatoan mean jachchekhanoan par abhi tak bhanginoan ka hi prabhutv hai aur nikat bhavishy mean isamean koee tabdili hone ki asha nahian. baboo maheshanath apane gaanv ke zamiandar the, shikshit the aur jachchekhanoan mean sudhar ki avashyakata ko manate the, lekin isamean jo badhaean thian, un par kaise vijay pate ? koee nars dehat mean jane par raji n huee aur bahut kahane-sunane se raji bhi huee, to itani lambi-chau di phis maangi ki baboo sahab ko sir jhukakar chale ane ke siva aur kuchh n soojha. ledi daktar ke pas jane ki unhean himmat n p di. usaki phis poori karane ke lie to shayad baboo sahab ko apani adhi jayadad bechani p dati; isalie jab tin kanyaoan ke bad vah chautha  l daka paida hua, to phir vahi good d tha aur vahi good d ki bahoo. bachche aksar rat hi ko paida hote haian. ek din adhi rat ko chaparasi ne good d ke dvar par aisi haank lagayi ki pas-p dos mean bhi jag p d gayi. l daki n thi ki mari avaz se pukarata.  good d ke ghar mean is shubh avasar ke lie mahinoan se taiyari ho rahi thi. bhay tha to yahi ki phir beti n ho jay, nahian to vahi bandha hua ek rupaya aur ek sa di milakar rah jayagi. is vishay mean stri-purush mean kitani hi bar jhag da ho chuka tha, shart lag chuki thi. stri kahati thi, ‘agar abaki beta n ho to muanh n dikhaooan; haan-haan, muanh n dikhaooan, sare lachchhan bete ke haian. aur good d kahata tha, ‘dekh lena, beti hogi aur bich khet beti hogi. beta nikale to mooanchhean muan da looan, haan-haan, mooanchhean mu da looan.‘ shayad good d samajhata tha ki is tarah apani stri mean putr-kamana ko balavanh karake vah bete ki avaee ke lie rasta saf kar raha hai. bhooangi boli, ‘ab mooanchh muan da le dadhijar ! kahati thi, beta hoga. sunata hi n tha. apani hi rat lagaye jata tha. maian aj teri mooanchhean mooannooangi, khooanti tak to rakhooangi hi nahian.‘ good d ne kaha, ‘achchha mooan d lena bhalimanas ! mooanchhean kya phir nikaleangi hi nahian ? tisare din dekh lena, phir jyoan-ki-tyoan haian, magar jo kuchh milega, usamean adha rakha looanga, kahe deta hooan. bhooangi ne aangootha dikhaya aur apane tin mahine ke balak ko good d ke supurd kar sipahi ke sath chal kh di huee. good d ne pukara, ‘ari ! sun to, kahaan bhagi jati hai ? mujhe bhi badhaee bajane jana p dega. ise kaun sanbhalega ?’ bhooangi ne door hi se kaha, ‘ise vahian dharati par sula dena. maian ake doodh pila jaooangi.‘

maheshanath ke yahaan ab bhi bhooangi ki khoob khatiradariyaan hone lagian. sabere harira milata, dopahar ko pooriyaan aur halava, tisare pahar ko phir aur rat ko phir aur good d ko bhi bharapoor parosa milata tha. bhooangi apane bachche ko din-rat mean ek-do bar se zyada n pila sakati thi. usake lie oopar ke doodh ka prabandh tha. bhooangi ka doodh baboosahab ka bhagyavanh balak pita tha. aur yah silasila barahavean din bhi n band hua. malakin moti-taji devi thi; par abaki kuchh aisa sanyog ki unhean doodh hua hi nahian. tinoan l dakiyoan ki bar itane ipharat se doodh hota tha ki l dakiyoan ko badahajami ho jati thi. ab ki ek booand nahian. bhooangi daee bhi thi aur doodh-pilaee bhi. malakin kahatian ‘bhooangi, hamare bachche ko pal de, phir jab tak too jiye, baithi khati rahana. paanch bighe maphi dilava dooangi. nati-pote tak chain kareange. aur bhooangi ka la dala oopar ka doodh hajam n kar sakane ke karan bar-bar ulati karata aur din-din dubala hota jata tha. bhooangi kahati, ‘bahooji, mooan dan mean choo de looangi, kahe deti hooan.‘ bahooji, uttar detian, ‘haan haan, choo de lena bhaee, dhamakati kyoan hai ? chaandi ke legi ya sone ke.‘ 'vah bahooji! chaandi ke choo de pahan ke kise muanh dikhaooangi aur kisaki hansi hogi ?' 'achchha, sone ke lena bhaee, kah to diya.' 'aur byah mean kantha looangi aur chaudhari (good d) ke lie hathoan ke to de.' 'vah bhi lena, bhagavanh vah din to dikhave.'   ghar mean malakin ke bad bhooangi ka rajy tha. mahariyaan, maharajin, naukar- chakar sab usaka rob manate the. yahaan tak ki khud bahooji bhi usase dab jati thian. ek bar to usane maheshanath ko bhi daanta tha. hansakar tal gaye. bat chali thi bhangiyoan ki. maheshanath ne kaha, tha duniya mean aur chahe jo kuchh ho jay, bhangi bhangi hi raheange. inhean adami banana kathin hai. is par bhooangi ne kaha, tha malik, bhangi to b doan-b doan ko adami banate haian, unhean koee kya adami banaye. yah gustakhi karake kisi doosare avasar par bhala bhooangi ke sir ke bal bach sakate the ? lekin aj baboosahab thathakar hanse aur bole bhooangi bat b de pate ki kahati hai.   bhooangi ka shasanakal sal-bhar se age n chal saka. devataoan ne balak ke bhangin ka doodh pine par apatti ki, moteram shastri to prayashchitt ka prastav kar baithe. doodh to chhu da diya gaya; lekin prayashchitt ki bat hansi mean u d gayi. maheshanath ne phatakarakar kaha, ‘prayashchitt ki khoob kahi shastriji, kal tak usi bhangin ka khoon pikar pala, ab usamean chhoot ghus gayi. vah re apaka dharm. shastriji shikha phatakarakar bole yah saty hai, vah kal tak bhangin ka rakt pikar pala. maans khakar pala, yah bhi saty hai; lekin kal ki bat kal thi, aj ki bat aj. jagannathapuri mean chhoot-achhoot sab ek pangat mean khate haian; par yahaan to nahian kha sakate. bimari mean to ham bhi kap de pahane kha lete haian, khich di tak kha lete haian babooji; lekin achchhe ho jane par to nem ka palan karana hi p data hai. apaddharm ki bat nyari hai. ‘'to isaka yah arth hai ki dharm badalata rahata hai qabhi kuchh, kabhi kuchh ?' 'aur kya ! raja ka dharm alag, praja ka dharm alag, amir ka dharm alag, garib ka dharm alag, raje-maharaje jo chahean khayan, jisake sath chahean khayan, jisake sath chahean shadi-byah karean, unake lie koee bandhan nahian. samarth purush haian. bandhan to madhyavaloan ke lie hai.'   prayashchitt to n hua; lekin bhooangi ko gaddi se utarana p da ! haan, dan-dakshina itani mili ki vah akele le n ja saki aur sone ke choo de bhi mile. ek ki jagah do nayi, sundar sa diyaan mamooli nainasukh ki nahian, jaisi l dakiyoan ki bar mili thian. isi sal pleg ne zor baandh aur good d pahale hi chapet mean a gaya. bhooangi akeli rah gayi; par grihasthi jyoan-ki-tyoan chalati rahi. log tak lagaye baithe the ki bhooangi ab gayi. phalaan bhangi se batachit huee, phalaan chaudhari aye, lekin bhooangi n kahian ayi, n kahian gayi, yahaan tak ki paanch sal bit gaye aur usaka balak mangal, durbal aur sada rogi rahane par bhi, dau dane laga. suresh ke samane piddi-sa lagata tha.   ek din bhooangi maheshanath ke ghar ka paranala saf kar rahi thi. mahinoan se galij jama ho raha tha. aangan mean pani bhara rahane laga tha. paranale mean ek lamba mota baans dalakar zor se hila rahi thi. poora dahina hath paranale ke andar tha ki ekaek usane chillakar hath bahar nikal liya aur usi vakt ek kala saanp paranale se nikalakar bhaga. logoan ne dau dakar use mar to dala; lekin bhooangi ko n bacha sake. samajhe, pani ka saanp hai, vishaila n hoga, isalie pahale kuchh gaphalat ki gayi. jab vish deh mean phail gaya aur laharean ane lagian, tab pata chala ki vah pani ka saanp nahian, gehuanvan tha.

  mangal ab anath tha. din-bhar maheshababoo ke dvar par mandaraya karata. ghar mean joothan itana bachata tha ki aise-aise das-paanch balak pal sakate the. khane ki koee kami n thi. haan, use tab bura zaroor lagata tha, jab use mitti ke kasoroan mean oopar se khana diya jata tha. sab log achchhe-achchhe baratanoan mean khate haian, usake lie mitti ke kasore ! yoan use is bhedabhav ka bilakul jnan n hota tha, lekin gaanv ke l dake chidha-chidhakar usaka apaman karate rahate the. koee use apane sath khelata bhi n tha. yahaan tak ki jis tat par vah sota tha, vah bhi achhoot tha. makan ke samane ek nim ka pe d tha. isi ke niche mangal ka dera tha. ek phata-sa tat ka tuk da, do mitti ke kasore aur ek dhoti, jo suresh baboo ki utaran thi, ja da, garami, barasat harek mausam mean vah jagah ek-si aramadeh thi aur bhagy ka bali mangal jhulasati huee loo, galate hue ja de aur moosaladhar varsha mean bhi zinda aur pahale se kahian svasth tha. bas, usaka koee apana tha, to gaanv ka ek kutta, jo apane sahavargiyoan ke julm se dukhi hokar mangal ki sharan a p da tha. donoan ek hi khana khate, ek hi tat par sote, tabiyat bhi donoan ki ek-si thi aur donoan ek-doosare ke svabhav ko jan gaye the. kabhi apas mean jhag da n hota. gaanv ke dharmatma log baboosahab ki is udarata par ashchary karate. thik dvar ke samane pachas hath bhi n hoga mangal ka p da rahana unhean solahoan ane dharm-viruddh jan p da. chhi: ! yahi hal raha, to tho de hi dinoan mean dharm ka ant hi samajho. bhangi ko bhi bhagavanh ne hi racha hai, yah ham bhi janate haian. usake sath hamean kisi tarah ka anyay n karana chahie, yah kise nahian maloom ? bhagavanh ka to nam hi patit-pavan hai; lekin samaj ki maryada bhi koee vastu hai ! us dvar par jate hue sankoch hota hai. gaanv ke malik haian, jana to p data hi hai; lekin bas yahi samajh lo ki ghrina hoti hai.   mangal aur tami mean gahari banati thi. mangal kahata dekho bhaee tami, jara aur khisakakar soo. akhir maian kahaan letooan ? sara tat to tumane gher liya. tami kooan-kooan karata, dum hilata aur khisak jane ke badale aur oopar chadh ata evan mangal ka muanh chatane lagata. sham ko vah ek bar roj apana ghar dekhane aur tho di der rone jata. pahale sal phoos ka chhappar gir p da, doosare sal ek divar giri aur ab keval adhi-adhi divarean kh di thian, jinaka oopari bhag nokadar ho gaya tha. yahi use sneh ki sampatti mili thi. vahi smriti,  hi akarshan, vahi pyar use ek bar us ooj d mean khianch le jata tha aur tami sadaiv usake sath hota tha. mangal nokadar divar par baith jata aur jivan ke bite aur anevale svapn dekhane lagata aur bar-bar uchhalakar usaki god mean baithane ki asaphal cheshta karata.   ek din kee l dake khel rahe the. mangal bhi pahuanchakar door kh da ho gaya. ya to suresh ko us par daya ayi, ya khelanevaloan ki jo di poori n p dati thi, kah nahian sakate. jo kuchh bhi ho, tajavij ki ki aj mangal ko bhi khel mean sharik kar liya jay. yahaan kaun dekhane ata hai. ‘kyoan re mangal, khelega.‘ mangal bola, ‘na bhaiya, kahian malik dekh lean, to meri cham di udho d di jay. tumhean kya, tum to alag ho jaoge.‘ suresh ne kaha, ‘to yahaan kaun ata hai dekhane be ? chal, ham log savar-savar kheleange. too gho da banega, ham log tere oopar savari karake dau dayeange ?’ mangal ne shanka ki, ‘maian barabar gho da hi rahooanga, ki savari bhi karooanga ?yah bata do.‘ yah prashn tedha tha. kisi ne is par vichar n kiya tha. suresh ne ek kshan vichar karake kaha, ‘tujhe kaun apani pith par bithayega, soch ?’ ‘akhir too bhangi hai ki nahian ?’ mangal bhi k da ho gaya. bola, ‘maian kab kahata hooan ki maian bhangi nahian hooan, lekin tumhean meri hi maan ne apana doodh pilakar pala hai. jab tak mujhe bhi savari karane ko n milegi, maian gho da n banooanga. tum log b de chagh d ho. ap to maje se savari karoge aur maian gho da hi bana rahooan.‘ suresh ne daantakar kaha,’tujhe gho da banana p dega’ aur mangal ko pak dane dau da. mangal bhaga. suresh ne dau daya. mangal ne qadam aur tej kiya. suresh ne bhi zor lagaya; magar vah bahut kha-khakar thul-thul ho gaya tha. aur dau dane mean usaki saans phoolane lagati thi. akhir usane rukakar kaha, ‘akar gho da bano mangal, nahian to kabhi pa jaooanga, to buri tarah pitooanga.‘ 'tumhean bhi gho da banana p dega.' 'achchha ham bhi ban jayange.' 'tum pichhe se nikal jaoge. pahale tum gho da ban jao. maian savari kar looan, phir maian banooanga.' suresh ne sachamuch chakama dena chaha tha. mangal ka yah mutalaba sunakar sathiyoan se bola, ‘dekhate ho isaki badamashi, bhangi hai n !’ tinoan ne mangal ko gher liya aur use jabaradasti gho da bana diya. suresh ne chatapat usaki pith par asan jama liya aur tikatik karake, ’bola, chal gho de, chal ! mangal kuchh der tak to chala, lekin us bojh se usaki kamar tooti jati thi. usane dhire se pith siko di aur suresh ki ran ke niche se sarak gaya. suresh mahoday lad se gir p de aur bhoanpoo bajane lage. maan ne suna, suresh kahian ro raha hai. suresh kahian roye, to unake tej kanoan mean zaroor bhanak p d jati thi aur usaka rona bhi bilakul nirala hota tha, jaise chhoti lain ke ianjan ki avaj. mahari se boli, ‘dekh to, suresh kahian ro raha hai, poochh to kisane mara hai.‘

itane mean suresh khud aankhean malata hua aya. use jab rone ka avasar milata tha, to maan ke pas phariyad lekar zaroor ata tha. maan mithaee ya meve dekar aansoo poanchh deti thian. ap the to ath sal ke, magar the bilakul gavadi. had se zyada pyar ne usaki buddhi ke sath vahi kiya tha, jo had se zyada bhojan ne usaki deh ke sath. maan ne poochha, ‘kyoan rota hai suresh, kisane mara ?’ suresh ne rokar kaha, ‘mangal ne chhoo diya.‘ maan ko vishvas n aya. mangal itana nirih tha ki usase kisi tarah ki shararat ki shanka n hoti thi; lekin jab suresh kasamean khane laga, to vishvas karana lajim ho gaya. mangal ko bulakar daanta, ‘kyoan re mangal, ab tujhe badamashi soojhane lagi. maianne tujhase kaha, tha, suresh ko kabhi mat chhoona, yad hai ki nahian, bol.‘ mangal ne dabi avaz se kaha, ‘yad kyoan nahian hai.‘ 'to phir toone use kyoan chhua ?' 'maianne nahian chhua.' 'toone nahian chhua, to vah rota kyoan tha ?' 'gir p de, isase rone lage.' chori aur sinajori. deviji daant pisakar rah gayian. maratian, to usi dam snan karana p data. chh di to hath mean leni hi p dati aur chhoot ka vidyut-pravah is chh di ke raste unaki deh mean paivast ho jata, isalie jahaan tak galiyaan de sakian, dian aur hukm diya ki –‘abhi-abhi yahaan se nikal ja. phir jo is dvar par teri soorat najar ayi, to khoon hi pi jaooangi. muft ki rotiyaan kha-khakar shararat soojhati hai,’ adi. mangal mean gairat to kya thi, haan, dar tha. chupake se apane sakore uthaye, tat ka tuk da bagal mean dabaya, dhoti kandho par rakhi aur rota hua vahaan se chal p da. ab vah yahaan kabhi n ayega. yahi to hoga ki bhookhoan mar jayega. kya haraj hai ? is tarah jine se fayada hi kya ? gaanv mean usake lie aur kahaan thikana tha ? bhangi ko kaun panah deta ? usi khandahar ki or chala, jahaan bhale dinoan ki smritiyaan usake aansoo poanchh sakati thian aur khoob phoot-phootakar roya. usi kshan tami bhi use dhooandhata hua pahuancha aur donoan phir apani vyatha bhool gaye.   lekin jyoan-jyoan din ka prakash kshin hota jata tha, mangal ki glani bhi kshin hoti jati thi. bachapan ko bechain karane vali bhookh deh ka rakt pi-pikar aur bhi balavan hoti jati thi. aankhean bar-bar kasoroan ki or uth jatian. vahaan ab tak suresh ki joothi mithaiyaan mil gayi hotian. yahaan kya dhool phaanke ? usane tami se salah ki khaoge kya tami ? maian to bhookha let rahooanga. tami ne kooan-kooan karake shayad kaha, ‘is tarah ka apaman to zindagi bhar sahana hai. yoan himmat haroge, to kaise kam chalega ? mujhe dekho n, kabhi kisi ne danda mara, chilla utha, phir jara der bad dum hilata hua usake pas ja pahuancha. ham-tum donoan isilie bane haian, bhaee !’ mangal ne kaha, ‘to tum jao, jo kuchh mile kha lo, meri paravah n karo.‘ tami ne apani shvan-bhasha mean kaha, ‘akela nahian jata, tumhean sath lekar chalooanga.‘ 'maian nahian jata.' 'to maian bhi nahian jata.' 'bhookhoan mar jaoge.' 'to kya tum jite rahoge ?' 'mera kaun baitha hai, jo royega ?' 'yahaan bhi vahi hal hai bhaee, kvar mean jis kutiya se prem kiya tha, usane bevaphaee ki aur ab kalloo ke sath hai. khairiyat yahi huee ki apane bachche leti gayi, nahian to meri jan gadhe mean p d jati. paanch-paanch bachchoan ko kaun palata ?' ek kshan ke bad bhookh ne ek doosari yukti soch nikali. 'malakin hamean khoj rahi hoangi, kya tami ?' 'aur kya ? babooji aur suresh kha chuke hoange. kahar ne unaki thali se joothan nikal liya hoga aur hamean pukar raha hoga.' 'babooji aur suresh donoan ki thaliyoan mean ghi khoob rahata hai aur vah mithi-mithi chiz haan malaee.' 'sab-ka-sab ghoore par dal diya jayaga.' 'dekhean, hamean khojane koee ata hai ?' 'khojane kaun ayega; kya koee purohit ho ? ek bar 'mangal-mangal' hoga aur bas, thali paranale mean uan del di jayegi.' 'achchha, to chalo chalean. magar maian chhipa rahooanga, agar kisi ne mera nam lekar n pukara; to maian laut aooanga. yah samajh lo.' donoan vahaan se nikale aur akar maheshanath ke dvar par aandhere mean dabakakar kh de ho gaye; magar tami ko sabr kahaan ? vah dhire se andar ghus gaya. dekha, maheshanath aur suresh thali par baith gaye haian. barothe mean dhire se baith gaya, magar dar raha tha ki koee danda n mar de. naukar mean batachit ho rahi thi. ek ne kaha, ‘aj mangalava nahian dikhayi deta. malakin ne daanta tha, isase bhaga hai sait.‘ doosare ne javab diya, ‘achchha hua, nikal diya gaya. sabere-sabere bhangi ka muanh dekhana p data tha. mangal aur aandhere mean khisak gaya. asha gahare jal mean doob gayi. maheshanath thali se uth gaye. naukar hath dhula raha hai. ab huqqa piyeange aur soyeange. suresh apani maan ke pas baitha koee kaha,ni sunata-sunata so jayaga ! garib mangal ki kise chinta hai ? itani der ho gayi, kisi ne bhool se bhi n pukara. kuchh der tak vah nirash-sa vahaan kh da raha, phir ek lambi saans khianchakar jana hi chahata tha ki kahar pattal mean thali ka joothan le jata najar aya. mangal aandhere se nikalakar prakash mean a gaya. ab man ko kaise roke ? kahar ne kaha, ‘are, too yahaan tha ? hamane samajha ki kahian chala gaya. le, kha le; maian pheankane le ja raha tha.‘ mangal ne dinata se kaha, ‘maian to b di der se yahaan kh da tha.‘ 'to bola, kyoan nahian ?' 'mare dar ke.' 'achchha, le kha le.' usane pattal ko oopar uthakar mangal ke phaile hue hathoan mean dal diya. mangal ne usaki or aisi aankhoan se dekha, jisamean din kritajnata bhari huee thi. tami bhi andar se nikal aya tha. donoan vahian nim ke niche pattal mean khane lage. mangal ne ek hath se tami ka sir sahalakar kaha, ‘dekha, pet ki ag aisi hoti hai ! yah lat ki mari huee rotiyaan bhi n milatian, to kya karate ?’ tami ne dum hila di. 'suresh ko ammaan ne pala tha.' tami ne phir dum hilayi. 'log kahate haian, doodh ka dam koee nahian chuka sakata aur mujhe doodh ka yah dam mil raha hai.' tami ne phir dum hilayi.

sanbandhit lekh

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