प्रतिज्ञा उपन्यास भाग-2

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

idhar donoan mitroan mean batean ho rahi thian, udhar lala badariprasad ke ghar mean matam-sa chhaya hua tha. lala badariprasad, unaki stri devaki aur prema, tinoan baithe nishchal netroan se bhoomi ki or tak rahe the, mano jangal mean rah bhool ge hoan. b di der ke bad devaki boli - 'tum jara amritaray ke pas chale jate.' badariprasad ne apatti ke bhav se kaha - 'ja kar kya karooan?'

devaki - 'ja kar samajhao-bujhao aur kya karoge. unase kaho, bhaiya, hamara doanga kyoan majhadhar mean dubae dete ho. tum ghar ke l dake ho. tumase hamean aisi asha n thi. dekho kahate kya haian.'

badariprasad - 'maian unake pas ab nahian ja sakata.'

devaki - 'akhir kyoan? koee haraj hai?'

badariprasad - 'ab tumase kya bataooan. jab mujhe unake vichar maloom ho ge, to mera unake pas jana anuchit hi nahian, apaman ki bat hai. akhir hiandoo aur musalaman mean vicharoan hi ka to aantar hai. manushy mean vichar hi sab kuchh haian. vah vidhava-vivah ke samarthak haian. samajhate haian, isase desh ka uddhar hoga. maian samajhata hooan, isase sara samaj nasht ho jaega, ham isase kahian adhogati ko pahuanch jaeange, hiandutv ka raha-saha chihn bhi mit jaega. is pratijna ne unhean hamare samaj se bahar kar diya. ab hamara unase koee sanpark nahian raha.'

devaki ne is apatti ka mahatv nahian samajha. boli - 'yah to koee bat nahian aj agar kamalaprasad musalaman ho jae, to kya ham usake pas ana-jana chho d deange? hamase jahaan tak ho sakega, ham use samajhaeange aur use supath par lane ka upay kareange.'

devaki ke is tark se badariprasad kuchh naram to p de lekin apana paksh n chho d sake. bole - 'bhaee, maian to amritaray ke pas n jaooanga. tum agar sochati ho ki samajhane se vah rah par a jaeange, to bulava lo ya chali jao. lekin mujhase jane ko n kaho. maian unhean dekh kar shayad ape se bahar ho jaooan. kaho to jaooan?'

devaki - 'nahian, kshama kijie. is jane se n jana hi achchha. maian hi kal bulava looangi.'

badariprasad - 'bulavane ko bulava lo, lekin yah maian kabhi pasand n karooanga ki tum unake hath-pair p do. vah agar hamase ek aangul door hateange, to ham unase gaj bhar door hat jaeange. prema ko maian unake gale lagana nahian chahata. usake lie varoan ki kami nahian hai.'

devaki - 'prema un l dakiyoan mean nahian ki tum usaka vivah jisake sath chaho kar do. jara ja kar usaki dasha dekho to maloom ho. jab se yah khabar mili hai, aisa maloom hota hai ki deh mean pran hi nahian. akele chhat par p di huee ro rahi hai.'

badariprasad - 'aji, das-paanch din mean thik ho jaegi.'

devaki - 'kaun! maian kahati hooan ki vah isi shok mean ro-ro kar pran de degi. tum abhi use nahian janate.'

badariprasad ne jhuanjhala kar kaha - 'agar vah ro-ro kar mar jana chahati hai, to mar jae lekin maian amritaray ki khushamad karane n jaooanga. jo prani vidhava-vivah jaise ghrinit vyavasay mean hath dalata hai, usase mera koee sanbandh nahian ho sakata.'

badariprasad bahar chale ge. devaki b de asamanjas mean p d gee. pati ke svabhav se vah parichit thi, lekin unhean itana vichar-shoony n samajhati thi. use asha thi ki amritaray samajhane se man jaeange, lekin unake pas jae kaise. pati se rar kaise mol le.

sahasa oopar se prema a kar charapaee ke pas kh di ho gee. aankhean lal ho gee thi.

devaki ne kaha- 'roo mat beti, maian kal unhean bulaooangi. meri bat vah kabhi n taleange.'

prema ne sisakate hue kaha - 'nahian ammaan ji, apake pairoan p dati hooan, ap unase kuchh n kahie. unhoanne hamari bahanoan ki hi khatir to yah pratijna ki hai. hamare yahaan kitane aise purush haian, jo itani virata dikha sakean? maian is shubh kary mean badhak n banooangi.'

devaki ne vismay se prema ki or dekha, l daki yah kya kah rahi hai, yah usaki samajh mean n aya.

prema phir boli - 'aise sushikshit purush agar yah kam n kareange to kaun karega? jab tak aise log sahas se kam n leange, hamari abhagini bahanoan ki raksha kaun karega?'

devaki ne kaha - 'aur tera kya hal hoga, beti?'

prema ne ganbhir bhav se kaha - 'mujhe isaka bilkul duahkh nahian hai. ammaan ji, maian apase sach kahati hooan. maian bhi is kam mean unaki madad karooangi. jab tak ap donoan ka hath mere sir par hai, mujhe kis bat ki chianta hai? ap log mere lie jara bhi chianta n karean. maian kvaanri rah kar bahut sukhi rahooangi.

devaki ne aansoo bhari aankhoan se kaha - 'maan-bap kisake sada baithe rahate haian beti! apani aankhoan ke samane jo kam ho jae, vahi achchha! l daki to unaki nahian kvaanri rahane pati, jinake ghar mean bhojan ka thikana nahian. bhiksha maang kar log kanya ka vivah karate haian. mohalle mean koee l daki anath ho jati hai, to chanda maang kar usaka vivah kar diya jata hai. mere yahaan kis bat ki kami hai. maian tumhare lie koee aur var talash karooangi. yah jane-sune adami the, itana hi tha, nahian to biradari mean ek se ek p de hue haian. maian kal hi tumhare babooji ko bhejati hooan.'

prema ka hriday kaanp utha. tin sal se amritaray ko apane hriday-mandir mean sthapit karake vah pooja karati chali ati thi. us moorti ko usake hriday se kaun nikal sakata tha. hriday mean us pratima ko bithae hue, kya vah kisi doosare purush se vivah kar sakati thi? vah vivah hoga ya vivah ka svaang. us jivan ki kalpana kitani bhayavah-kitani romaanchakari thi.

prema ne zamin ki taraph dekhate hue kaha - 'nahian ammaan ji, mere lie ap koee fikr n karean. maianne kvaanri rahane ka nishchay kar liya hai.'

baboo kamalaprasad ke agaman ka shor sunaee diya. ap sinema ke anany bhakt the. naukaroan par unaka b da kathor shasan tha, visheshatah bahar se ane par to vah ek-adh ki marammat kie bagair n chho date the. unake boot ki charamar sunate hi naukaroan mean halachal p d jati thi.

kamalaprasad ne ate-hi-ate kahar se poochha - 'baraph lae?'

kahar ne dabi jaban se kaha - 'abhi to nahian, sarakar.'

kamalaprasad ne garaj kar kaha - 'jor se bolo, baraph lae ki nahian? muanh mean avaz nahian hai?'

kahar ki avaz abaki bilkul band ho gee. kamalaprasad ne kahar ke donoan kan pak d kar hilate hue kaha - 'ham poochhate haian, baraph lae ki nahian?'

kahar ne dekha ki ab bina muanh khole kanoan ke ukh d jane ka bhay hai, to dhire se bola - 'nahian, sarakar.'

kamalaprasad - 'kyoan nahian lae?'

kahar - 'paise n the.'

kamalaprasad - 'kyoan paise n the? ghar mean ja kar maange the?'

kahar - 'haan huzoor, kisi ne suna nahian.'

kamalaprasad - 'jhooth bolata hai. maian ja kar poochhata hooan. agar maloom hua ki toone paise nahian maange to kachcha hi chaba jaooanga, raiskal.'

kamalaprasad ne kap de bhi nahian utare. krodh mean bhare hue ghar mean a kar maan se poochha - 'kya ammaan, badaloo tumase barf ke lie paise lene aya tha?'

devaki ne bina usaki or dekhe hi kaha - 'aya hoga, yad nahian ata. baboo amritaray se to bheant nahian huee?'

kamalaprasad - 'nahian, unase to bheant nahian huee. unaki taraph gaya to tha, lekin jab suna ki vah kisi sabha mean ge haian, to maian sinema chala gaya. sabhaoan ka to unhean rog hai aur maian unhean bilkul phijool samajhata hooan. koee fayada nahian. bina vyakhyan sune bhi adami jita rah sakata hai aur vyakhyan dene valoan ke bagair bhi duniya ke rasatal chale jane ki sanbhavana nahian. jahaan dekho vakta-hi-vakta najar ate haian, barasati medhakoan ki tarah tarr-tarr kiya aur chalate hue. apana samay ganvaya aur doosaroan ko hairan kiya. sab-ke-sab moorkh haian.'

devaki - 'amritaray ne to aj doanga hi duba diya. ab kisi vidhava se vivah karane ki pratijna ki hai.'

kamalaprasad ne zor se kahakaha mar kar kaha - 'aur ye sabhaoanvale kya kareange. yahi sab to in sabhi ko soojhati hai. lala ab kisi vidhava se shadi kareange. achchhi bat hai, maian zaroor barat mean jaooanga, chahe aur koee jae ya n jae. jara dekhooan, ne dhang ka vivah kaisa hota hai? vahaan bhi sab vyakhyanabaji kareange. in logoan ke kie aur kya hoga. sab-ke-sab moorkh haian, akl kisi ko chhoo nahian gee.'

devaki - 'tum jara unake pas chale jate.'

kamalaprasad- 'is vakt to badashah bhi bulae to n jaooan. haan, kisi din ja kar jara kushal-kshem poochh aooanga. magar hai bilkul sanaki. maian to samajhata tha, isamean kuchh samajh hogi. magar nira poanga nikala. ab batao, bahut padhane se kya fayada hua? bahut achchha hua ki maianne padhana chho d-chha d diya. bahut padhane se buddhi bhrasht ho jati hai. jab aankhean kamazor ho jati haian, to buddhi kaise bachi rah sakati hai? to koee vidhava bhi thik ho gee ki nahian? kahaan haian misarain, kah do ab tumhari chaandi hai, kal hi sandesha bhej dean. koee aur n jae to maian jane ko taiyar hooan. b da maja rahega. kahaan haian misarani, ab unake bhagy chamake. rahegi biradari hi ki vidhava n? ki biradari ki bhi kaid nahian rahi?'

devaki - 'yah to nahian janati, ab kya aise bhrasht ho jaeange?'

kamalaprasad - 'yah sabhavale jo kuchh n karean, vah tho da. in sabhi ko baithe-baithe aisi hi bepar ki u dane ki soojhati hai. ek din panjab se koee baukhal aya tha, kah gaya, jat-paant to d do, isase desh mean phoot badhati hai. aise hi ek aur jaangaloo a kar kah gaya, chamaroan-pasiyoan ko bhaee samajhana chahie. unase kisi tarah ka parahej n karana chahie. bas, sab-ke-sab, baithe-baithe yahi socha karate haian ki koee nee bat nikalani chahie. buddhe gaandhi ji ko aur kuchh n soojhi to svarajy hi ka danka pit chale. saboan ne buddhi bech khaee hai.'

itane mean ek yuvati ne aangan mean qadam rakha, magar kamalaprasad ko dekhate hi dyodhi mean thithak gee. devaki ne kamalaprasad se kaha - 'tum jara kamare mean chale jao, poorna dyodhi mean kh di hai.'

poorna ko dekhate hi prema dau d kar usake gale se lipat gee. p dos mean ek pandit vasant kumar rahate the. kisi daftar mean klark the. poorna unhian ki stri thi, bahut hi suandar, bahut hi sushil. ghar mean doosara koee n tha. jab das baje pandit ji daftar chale jate, to yahian chali ati aur donoan saheliyaan sham tak baithi hansati-bolati rahatian. prema ko itana prem tha ki yadi kisi din vah kisi karan se n ati to svayan usake ghar chali jati. aj vasant kumar kahian davat khane ge the. poorna ka ji ub utha, yahaan chali aee. prema usaka hath pak de hue oopar apane kamare mean le gee.

poorna ne chadar alagani par rakhate hue kaha - 'tumhare bhaiya aangan mean kh de the aur maian muanh khole chali ati thi. mujh par unaki najar p d gee hogi.'

prema - 'bhaiya mean kisi taraph takane ki lat nahian hai. yahi to unamean ek gun hai. patidev kahian ge haian kya?'

poorna - 'haan, aj ek nimantran mean ge haian.'

prema - 'sabha mean nahian ge? aj to b di bhari sabha huee hai.'

poorna - 'vah kisi sabha-samaj mean nahian jate. kahate haian, eeshvar ne sansar racha hai, vah apani ichchhanusar harek bat ki vyavastha karata hai, maian usake kam ko sudharane ka sahas nahian kar sakata.'

prema - 'aj ki sabha dekhane layaq thi. tum hoti to maian bhi jati, samaj sudhar par ek mahashay ka bahut achchha vyakhyan hua.'

poorna - 'striyoan ka sudhar karane ki avashyakata nahian hai. pahale purush log apani dasha to sudhar lean, phir striyoan ki dasha sudhareange. unaki dasha sudhar jae, to striyaan ap-hi-ap sudhar jaeangi. sari buraiyoan ki j d purush hi hai.'

prema ne hans kar kaha - 'nahian bahan, samaj mean stri aur purush donoan hi haian aur jab tak donoan ki unnati n hogi, jivan sukhi n hoga. purush ke vidvanh hone se kya stri vidushi ho jaegi? purush to akhirakar sade hi kap de pahanate haian, phir striyaan kyoan gahanoan par jan deti haian? purushoan mean to kitane hi kvaanre rah jate haian, striyoan ko kyoan bina vivah kie jivan vyarth jan p data ? batao? maian to sochati hooan, kvaanri rahane mean jo sukh hai, vah vivah karane mean nahian hai.'

poorna ne dhire se prema ko dhakel kar kaha - 'chalo bahan, tum bhi kaisi batean karati ho. baboo amritaray suneange, to tumhari khoob khabar leange. maian unhean likh bhejooangi ki yah apana vivah n kareangi, ap koee aur dvar dekhean.'

prema ne amritaray ki pratijna ka hal n kaha. vah janati thi ki isase poorna ki nigah mean unaka adar bahut kam jo jaega. boli - 'vah svayan vivah n kareange.'

poorna - 'chalo, jhooth bakati ho.'

prema - 'nahian bahan, jhooth nahian hai. vivah karane ki ichchha nahian hai. shayad kabhi nahian thi. didi ke mar jane ke bad, vah kuchh virakt-se ho ge the. babooji ke bahut gherane par aur mujh par daya karake vah vivah karane par taiyar hue the, par ab unaka vichar badal gaya hai aur maian bhi samajhati hooan ki jab ek adami svayan grihasthi ke jhanjhat mean n phans kar kuchh seva karana chahata hai, to usake paanv ki be di n banana chahie. maian tumase saty kahati hooan, poorna, mujhe isaka duahkh nahian hai, unaki dekha-dekhi maian bhi kuchh kar jaooangi.'

poorna ka vismay badhata hi gaya. boli - 'aj char baje tak tum aisi batean n karati thian, ekaek yah kaisi kaya-palat ho gee? unhoanne kisi se kuchh kaha hai kya?'

prema - 'bina kahe bhi to adami apani ichchha prakat kar sakata hai .'

poorna - 'maian ek din patr likh kar unase poochhooangi.'

prema - 'nahian poorna, tumhare pairoan p dati hooan. patr-vatr n likhana, maian kisi ke shubh-sankalp mean vighn n dalooangi. maian yadi aur koee sahayata nahian kar sakati, to kam-se-kam unake marg ka kantak n banooangi.'

poorna - 'sari umr rote kategi kahe deti hooan.'

prema - 'aisa koee duahkh nahian hai, jo adami sah n sake. vah janate haian ki mujhe isase duahkh nahian, harsh hoga, nahian to vah kabhi yah irada n karate. maian aise sajjan prani ka utsah badhana apana dharm samajhati hooan. use grihasthi mean nahian phansana chahati.'

poorna ne udasin bhav se kaha - 'tumhari maya meri samajh mean nahian ati bahan, kshama karana. maian yah kabhi n manooangi ki tumhean duahkh n hoga.'

prema - 'to phir unhean bhi hoga.'

poorna - 'purushoan ka hriday kathor hota hai.'

prema - 'to maian bhi apana hriday kathor bana looangi.'

poorna - 'achchha bana lena, lo ab n kahooangi. lao baja, tumhean ek git sunaooan.'

prema ne haramoniyam sanbhala aur poorna gane lagi.