नमक का दारोगा -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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jab namak ka naya vibhag bana aur eeshvarapradatt vastu ke vyavahar karane ka nishedh ho gaya to log chori-chhipe isaka vyapar karane lage. anek prakar ke chhal-prapanchoan ka sootrapat hua, koee ghoos se kam nikalata tha, koee chalaki se. adhikariyoan ke pau-barah the. patavarigiri ka sarvasammanit pad chhod-chhodakar log is vibhag ki barakandaji karate the. isake daroga pad ke lie to vakiloan ka bhi ji lalachata tha.

yah vah samay tha jab ऍangareji shiksha aur eesaee mat ko log ek hi vastu samajhate the. pharasi ka prabaly tha. prem ki kathaean aur shrriangar ras ke kavy padhakar pharasidaan log sarvochch padoan par niyukt ho jaya karate the.

muanshi vanshidhar bhi julekha ki virah-katha samapt karake siri aur pharahad ke prem-vrittaant ko nal aur nil ki ladaee aur amerika ke avishkar se adhik mahatv ki batean samajhate hue rozagar ki khoj mean nikale.

unake pita ek anubhavi purush the. samajhane lage, 'beta! ghar ki durdasha dekh rahe ho. rrin ke bojh se dabe hue haian. ladakiyaan haian, ve ghas-phoos ki tarah badhati chali jati haian. maian kagare par ka vriksh ho raha hooan, n maloom kab gir padooan! ab tumhian ghar ke malik-mukhtar ho.

'naukari mean ohade ki or dhyan mat dena, yah to pir ka majar hai. nigah chadhave aur chadar par rakhani chahie. aisa kam dhooandhana jahaan kuchh oopari ay ho. masik vetan to poornamasi ka chaand hai, jo ek din dikhaee deta hai aur ghatate-ghatate lupt ho jata hai. oopari ay bahata hua srot hai jisase sadaiv pyas bujhati hai. vetan manushy deta hai, isi se usamean vridhdi nahian hoti. oopari amadani eeshvar deta hai, isi se usaki barakat hoti haian, tum svayan vidvanh ho, tumhean kya samajhaooan.

'is vishay mean vivek ki badi avashyakata hai. manushy ko dekho, usaki avashyakata ko dekho aur avasar ko dekho, usake uparaant jo uchit samajho, karo. garajavale adami ke sath kathorata karane mean labh hi labh hai. lekin begaraj ko daanv par pana jara kathin hai. in batoan ko nigah mean baandh lo yah meri janm bhar ki kamaee hai.

is upadesh ke bad pitaji ne ashirvad diya. vanshidhar ajnakari putr the. ye batean dhyan se sunian aur tab ghar se chal khade hue. is vistrit sansar mean unake lie dhairy apana mitr, budhdi apani pathapradarshak aur atmavalamban hi apana sahayak tha. lekin achchhe shakun se chale the, jate hi jate namak vibhag ke daroga pad par pratishthit ho ge. vetan achchha aur oopari ay ka to thikana hi n tha. vridhd muanshiji ko sukh-sanvad mila to phoole n samae. mahajan kuchh naram pade, kalavar ki ashalata lahalahaee. padosiyoan ke hriday mean shool uthane lage.

jade ke din the aur rat ka samay. namak ke sipahi, chaukidar nashe mean mast the. muanshi vanshidhar ko yahaan ae abhi chhah mahinoan se adhik n hue the, lekin is thode samay mean hi unhoanne apani karyakushalata aur uttam achar se aphasaroan ko mohit kar liya tha. aphasar log un par bahut vishvas karane lage.

namak ke daftar se ek mil poorv ki or jamuna bahati thi, us par navoan ka ek pul bana hua tha. darogaji kivad band kie mithi niand so rahe the. achanak aauankh khuli to nadi ke pravah ki jagah gadiyoan ki gadagadahat tatha mallahoan ka kolahal sunaee diya. uth baithe.

itani rat ge gadiyaan kyoan nadi ke par jati haian? avashy kuchh n kuchh golamal hai. tark ne bhram ko pusht kiya. varadi pahani, tamancha jeb mean rakha aur bat ki bat mean ghoda badhae hue pul par a pahuanche. gadiyoan ki ek lambi katar pul ke par jati dekhi. daantakar poochha, 'kisaki gadiyaan haian.

thodi der tak sannata raha. adamiyoan mean kuchh kanaphoosi huee tab age vale ne kaha-'pandit alopidin ki.

'kaun pandit alopidin?

'dataganj ke.

muanshi vanshidhar chauanke. pandit alopidin is ilake ke sabase pratishthit zamiandar the. lakhoan rupe ka len-den karate the, idhar chhote se bade kaun aise the jo unake rrini n hoan. vyapar bhi bada lamba-chauda tha. bade chalate-puraje adami the. ऍangarej aphasar unake ilake mean shikar khelane ate aur unake mehaman hote. barahoan mas sadavrat chalata tha.

muanshi ne poochha, 'gadiyaan kahaan jaeangi? uttar mila, 'kanapur . lekin is prashn par ki inamean kya hai, sannata chha gaya. daroga sahab ka sandeh aur bhi badha. kuchh der tak uttar ki bat dekhakar vah zor se bole, 'kya tum sab gooange ho ge ho? ham poochhate haian inamean kya lada hai?

jab is bar bhi koee uttar n mila to unhoanne ghode ko ek gadi se milakar bore ko tatola. bhram door ho gaya. yah namak ke dele the.

pandit alopidin apane sajile rath par savar, kuchh sote, kuchh jagate chale ate the. achanak kee gadivanoan ne ghabarae hue akar jagaya aur bole-'maharaj! daroga ne gadiyaan rok di haian aur ghat par khade apako bulate haian.

pandit alopidin ka lakshmiji par akhand vishvas tha. vah kaha karate the ki sansar ka to kahana hi kya, svarg mean bhi lakshmi ka hi rajy hai. unaka yah kahana yatharth hi tha. nyay aur niti sab lakshmi ke hi khilaune haian, inhean vah jaise chahati haian nachati haian. lete hi lete garv se bole, chalo ham ate haian. yah kahakar panditaji ne badi nishhanchitata se pan ke bide lagakar khae. phir lihaph odhe hue daroga ke pas akar bole, 'babooji ashirvad! kahie, hamase aisa kaun sa aparadh hua ki gadiyaan rok di geean. ham brahmanoan par to apaki kripa-drishti rahani chahie.

vanshidhar rukhaee se bole, 'sarakari hukm.

pan. alopidin ne hansakar kaha, 'ham sarakari hukm ko nahian janate aur n sarakar ko. hamare sarakar to ap hi haian. hamara aur apaka to ghar ka mamala hai, ham kabhi apase bahar ho sakate haian? apane vyarth ka kasht uthaya. yah ho nahian sakata ki idhar se jaean aur is ghat ke devata ko bheant n chadhavean. maian to apaki seva mean svayan hi a raha tha. vanshidhar par aishvary ki mohini vanshi ka kuchh prabhav n pada. eemanadari ki nee umang thi. kadakakar bole, 'ham un namakaharamoan mean nahian hai jo kaudiyoan par apana eeman bechate phirate haian. ap is samay hirasat mean haian. apako kayade ke anusar chalan hoga. bas, mujhe adhik batoan ki phursat nahian hai. jamadar badaloosianh! tum inhean hirasat mean le chalo, maian hukm deta hooan.

pan. alopidin stambhit ho ge. gadivanoan mean halachal mach gee. panditaji ke jivan mean kadachit yah pahala hi avasar tha ki panditaji ko aisi kathor batean sunani padian. badaloosianh age badha, kintu rob ke mare yah sahas n hua ki unaka hath pakad sake. panditaji ne dharm ko dhan ka aisa niradar karate kabhi n dekha tha. vichar kiya ki yah abhi uddand ladaka hai. maya-moh ke jal mean abhi nahian pada. alhad hai, jhijhakata hai. bahut dinabhav se bole, 'baboo sahab, aisa n kijie, ham mit jaeange. ijjat dhool mean mil jaegi. hamara apaman karane se apake hath kya aega. ham kisi tarah apase bahar thode hi haian.

vanshidhar ne kathor svar mean kaha, 'ham aisi batean nahian sunana chahate.

alopidin ne jis sahare ko chattan samajh rakha tha, vah pairoan ke niche khisakata hua maloom hua. svabhiman aur dhan-aishvary ki kadi chot lagi. kintu abhi tak dhan ki saankhyik shakti ka poora bharosa tha. apane mukhtar se bole, 'lalaji, ek hazar ke not baboo sahab ki bheant karo, ap is samay bhookhe sianh ho rahe haian.

vanshidhar ne garam hokar kaha, 'ek hazar nahian, ek lakh bhi mujhe sachche marg se nahian hata sakate.

dharm ki is budhdihin dridhata aur dev-durlabh tyag par man bahut jhuanjhalaya. ab donoan shaktiyoan mean sangram hone laga. dhan ne uchhal-uchhalakar akraman karane shuroo kie. ek se paanch, paanch se das, das se pandrah aur pandrah se bis hazar tak naubat pahuanchi, kintu dharm alaukik virata ke sath bahusankhyak sena ke sammukh akela parvat ki bhaanti atal, avichalit khada tha.

alopidin nirash hokar bole, 'ab isase adhik mera sahas nahian. age apako adhikar hai.

vanshidhar ne apane jamadar ko lalakara. badaloosianh man mean darogaji ko galiyaan deta hua pandit alopidin ki or badha. panditaji ghabadakar do-tin qadam pichhe hat ge. atyant dinata se bole, 'baboo sahab, eeshvar ke lie mujh par daya kijie, maian pachchis hazar par nipatara karane ka taiyar hooan.

'asambhav bat hai.

'tis hazar par?

'kisi tarah bhi sambhav nahian.

'kya chalis hazar par bhi nahian.

'chalis hazar nahian, chalis lakh par bhi asambhav hai.

'badaloosianh, is adami ko hirasat mean le lo. ab maian ek shabd bhi nahian sunana chahata.

dharm ne dhan ko pairoan tale kuchal dala. alopidin ne ek hrisht-pusht manushy ko hathakadiyaan lie hue apani taraph ate dekha. charoan or nirash aur katar drishti se dekhane lage. isake bad moorchhit hokar gir pade.

duniya soti thi par duniya ki jibh jagati thi. savere dekhie to balak-vridhd sabake muhan se yahi bat sunaee deti thi. jise dekhie vahi panditaji ke is vyavahar par tika-tippani kar raha tha, nianda ki bauchharean ho rahi thian, mano sansar se ab papi ka pap kat gaya.

pani ko doodh ke nam se bechane vala gvala, kalpit rojanamache bharane vale adhikari varg, rel mean bina tikat saphar karane vale baboo log, jali dastavej banane vale seth aur sakar yah sab ke sab devataoan ki bhaanti gardanean chala rahe the.

jab doosare din pandit alopidin abhiyukt hokar kaanstebaloan ke sath, hathoan mean hathakadiyaan, hriday mean glani aur kshobh bhare, lajja se gardan jhukae adalat ki taraph chale to sare shahar mean halachal mach gee. meloan mean kadachit aauankhean itani vyagr n hoti hoangi. bhid ke mare chhat aur divar mean koee bhed n raha.

kiantu adalat mean pahuanchane ki der thi. pan. alopidin is agadh van ke sianh the. adhikari varg unake bhakt, amale unake sevak, vakil-mukhtar unake ajna palak aur aradali, chaparasi tatha chaukidar to unake bina mol ke gulam the.

unhean dekhate hi log charoan taraph se daude. sabhi log vismit ho rahe the. isalie nahian ki alopidin ne yah karm kiya, balki isalie ki vah qanoon ke panje mean kaise ae? aisa manushy jisake pas asadhy sadhan karane vala dhan aur anany vachalata ho, vah kyoan qanoon ke panje mean ae? pratyek manushy unase sahanubhooti prakat karata tha.

badi tatparata se is akraman ko rokane ke nimitt vakiloan ki ek sena taiyar ki gee. nyay ke maidan mean dharm aur dhan mean yadhd than gaya. vanshidhar chupachap khade the. unake pas saty ke siva n koee bal tha, n spasht bhashan ke atirikt koee shastr. gavah the, kiantu lobh se daanvadol.

yahaan tak ki muanshiji ko nyay bhi apani or kuchh khiancha hua dikh padata tha. vah nyay ka darabar tha, parantu usake karmachariyoan par pakshapat ka nasha chhaya hua tha. kiantu pakshapat aur nyay ka kya mel? jahaan pakshapat ho, vahaan nyay ki kalpana nahian ki ja sakati. mukadama shighr hi samapt ho gaya.

dipti majistret ne apani tajavij mean likha, pan. alopidin ke virudhd die ge praman nirmool aur bhramatmak haian. vah ek bade bhari adami haian. yah bat kalpana ke bahar hai ki unhoanne thode labh ke lie aisa dussahas kiya ho. yadyapi namak ke daroga muanshi vanshidhar ka adhik dosh nahian hai, lekin yah bade khed ki bat hai ki usaki uddandata aur vicharahinata ke karan ek bhalemanus ko kasht jhelana pada. ham prasann haian ki vah apane kam mean sajag aur sachet rahata hai, kiantu namak ke mukadame ki badhi huee namak se halali ne usake vivek aur budhdi ko bhrasht kar diya. bhavishy mean use hoshiyar rahana chahie.

vakiloan ne yah phaisala suna aur uchhal pade. pan. alopidin muskurate hue bahar nikale. svajan baandhavoan ne rupe ki loot ki. udarata ka sagar umad pada. usaki laharoan ne adalat ki nianv tak hila di.

jab vanshidhar bahar nikale to charoan or unake oopar vyangyabanoan ki varsha hone lagi. chaparasiyoan ne jhuk-jhukakar salam kie. kiantu is samay ek katu vaky, ek-ek sanket unaki garvagni ko prajjvalit kar raha tha.

kadachit is mukadame mean saphal hokar vah is tarah akadate hue n chalate. aj unhean sansar ka ek khedajanak vichitr anubhav hua. nyay aur vidvatta, lanbi-chaudi upadhiyaan, badi-badi dadhiyaan, dhile choge ek bhi sachche adar ka patr nahian hai.

vanshidhar ne dhan se bair mol liya tha, usaka mooly chukana anivary tha. kathinata se ek saptah bita hoga ki muattali ka paravana a pahuancha. kary-parayanata ka dand mila. bechare bhagn hriday, shok aur khed se vyathit ghar ko chale. boodhe muanshiji to pahale hi se kudabuda rahe the ki chalate-chalate is ladake ko samajhaya tha, lekin isane ek n suni. sab manamani karata hai. ham to kalavar aur kasaee ke tagade sahean, budhape mean bhagat banakar baithean aur vahaan bas vahi sookhi tanakhvah! hamane bhi to naukari ki hai aur koee ohadedar nahian the. lekin kam kiya, dil kholakar kiya aur ap eemanadar banane chale haian. ghar mean chahe ऍandhera ho, masjid mean avashy diya jalaeange. khed aisi samajh par! padhana-likhana sab akarath gaya.

isake thode hi dinoan bad, jab muanshi vanshidhar is duravastha mean ghar pahuanche aur boodhe pitaji ne samachar suna to sir pit liya. bole- 'ji chahata hai ki tumhara aur apana sir phod looan. bahut der tak pachhata-pachhatakar hath malate rahe. krodh mean kuchh kathor batean bhi kahian aur yadi vanshidhar vahaan se tal n jata to avashy hi yah krodh vikat roop dharan karata. vridhd mata ko bhi du:kh hua. jagannath aur rameshvar yatra ki kamanaean mitti mean mil geean. patni ne kee dinoan tak sidhe muanh bat tak nahian ki.

isi prakar ek saptah bit gaya. saandhy ka samay tha. boodhe muanshiji baithe-baithe ram nam ki mala jap rahe the. isi samay unake dvar par saja hua rath akar ruka. hare aur gulabi parade, pachhahie bailoan ki jodi, unaki gardan mean nile dhage, siang pital se jade hue. kee naukar lathiyaan kandhoan par rakhe sath the.

muanshiji agavani ko daude dekha to pandit alopidin haian. jhukakar dandavath ki aur lallo-chappo ki batean karane lage- 'hamara bhagy uday hua, jo apake charan is dvar par ae. ap hamare poojy devata haian, apako kaun sa muanh dikhavean, muanh mean to kalikh lagi huee hai. kiantu kya karean, ladaka abhaga kapoot hai, nahian to apase kya muanh chhipana padata? eeshvar nissantan chahe rakkhe par aisi santan n de.

alopidin ne kaha- 'nahian bhaee sahab, aisa n kahie.

muanshiji ne chakit hokar kaha- 'aisi santan ko aur kya kan?

alopidin ne vatsalyapoorn svar mean kaha- 'kulatilak aur purukhoan ki kirti ujjval karane vale sansar mean aise kitane dharmaparayan manushy haian jo dharm par apana sab kuchh arpan kar sakean!

pan. alopidin ne vanshidhar se kaha- 'darogaji, ise khushamad n samajhie, khushamad karane ke lie mujhe itana kasht uthane ki zaroorat n thi. us rat ko apane apane adhikar-bal se apani hirasat mean liya tha, kiantu aj maian svechchha se apaki hirasat mean aya hooan. maianne hajaroan rees aur amir dekhe, hajaroan uchch padadhikariyoan se kam pada kiantu parast kiya to apane. maianne sabako apana aur apane dhan ka gulam banakar chhod diya. mujhe ajna dijie ki apase kuchh vinay karooan.

vanshidhar ne alopidin ko ate dekha to uthakar satkar kiya, kiantu svabhiman sahit. samajh ge ki yah mahashay mujhe lajjit karane aur jalane ae haian. kshama-prarthana ki cheshta nahian ki, varanh unhean apane pita ki yah thakurasuhati ki bat asahy si pratit huee. par panditaji ki batean suni to man ki mail mit gee.

panditaji ki or udati huee drishti se dekha. sadbhav jhalak raha tha. garv ne ab lajja ke samane sir jhuka diya. sharmate hue bole- 'yah apaki udarata hai jo aisa kahate haian. mujhase jo kuchh avinay huee hai, use kshama kijie. maian dharm ki bedi mean jakada hua tha, nahian to vaise maian apaka das hooan. jo ajna hogi vah mere sir-mathe par.

alopidin ne vinit bhav se kaha- 'nadi tat par apane meri prarthana nahian svikar ki thi, kiantu aj svikar karani padegi.

vanshidhar bole- 'maian kis yogy hooan, kiantu jo kuchh seva mujhase ho sakati hai, usamean truti n hogi.

alopidin ne ek stamp laga hua patr nikala aur use vanshidhar ke samane rakhakar bole- 'is pad ko svikar kijie aur apane hastakshar kar dijie. maian brahman hooan, jab tak yah saval poora n kijiega, dvar se n hatooanga.

muanshi vanshidhar ne us kagaz ko padha to kritajnata se aauankhoan mean aauansoo bhar ae. pan. alopidin ne unako apani sari jayadad ka sthayi mainejar niyat kiya tha. chhah hazar vashak vetan ke atirikt rojana kharch alag, savari ke lie ghoda, rahane ko bangala, naukar-chakar muft. kampit svar mean bole- 'panditaji mujhamean itani samarthy nahian hai ki apaki udarata ki prashansa kar sakooan! kiantu aise uchch pad ke yogy nahian hooan.

alopidin hansakar bole- 'mujhe is samay ek ayogy manushy ki hi zaroorat hai.

vanshidhar ne ganbhir bhav se kaha- 'yoan maian apaka das hooan. ap jaise kirtivan, sajjan purush ki seva karana mere lie saubhagy ki bat hai. kiantu mujhamean n vidya hai, n budhdi, n vah svabhav jo in trutiyoan ki poorti kar deta hai. aise mahanh kary ke lie ek bade marmajn anubhavi manushy ki zaroorat hai.

alopidin ne kalamadan se kalam nikali aur use vanshidhar ke hath mean dekar bole- 'n mujhe vidvatta ki chah hai, n anubhav ki, n marmajnata ki, n karyakushalata ki. in gunoan ke mahatv ko khoob pa chuka hooan. ab saubhagy aur suavasar ne mujhe vah moti de diya jisake samane yogyata aur vidvatta ki chamak phiki pad jati hai. yah kalam lijie, adhik soch-vichar n kijie, dastakhat kar dijie. paramatma se yahi prarthana hai ki vah apako sadaiv vahi nadi ke kinare vala, bemurauvat, uddand, kathor parantu dharmanishth daroga banae rakhe.

vanshidhar ki aauankhean dabadaba aeean. hriday ke sankuchit patr mean itana ehasan n sama saka. ek bar phir panditaji ki or bhakti aur shradhda ki drishti se dekha aur kaanpate hue hath se mainejari ke kagaz par hastakshar kar die.

alopidin ne praphullit hokar unhean gale laga liya

sanbandhit lekh

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