व्रत-भंग -जयशंकर प्रसाद

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

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to tum n manoge?

nahian, ab ham logoan ke bich itani b di khaee hai, jo kadapi nahian pat sakati!

itane dinoan ka sneh?

ooanh! kuchh bhi nahian. us din ki bat ajivan bhulaee nahian ja sakati, nandan! ab mere lie tumhara aur tumhare lie mera koee astitv nahian. vah atit ke smaran, svapn haian, samajhe?

yadi nyay nahian kar sakate, to daya karo, mitr! ham log gurukul mean....

haan-haan, maian janata hooan, tum mujhe daridr yuvak samajh kar mere oopar kripa rakhate the, kintu usamean kitana tikshn apaman tha, usaka mujhe ab anubhav hua.

us brahm bela mean oosha ka arun alok bhagirathi ki laharoan ke sath taral hota rahata, ham log kitane anurag se snan karane jate the. sach kahana, kya vaisi madhurima ham logoan ke svachchh hridayoan mean n thi?

rahi hogi-par ab, us marmaghati apaman ke bad! maian kh da rah gaya, tum svarn-rath par chadhaqar chale gaye; ek bar bhi nahian poochha. tum kadachith janate hoge nandan ki kangal ke man mean pralobhan ke prati kitana vidvesh hai? kyoanki vah usase sadaiv chhal karata hai-thukarata hai. maian apani us bat ko duharata hooan ki ham logoan ka ab us roop mean koee astitv nahian.

vahi sahi kapinjal! ham logoan ka poorv astitv kuchh nahian, to kya ham log vaise hi nirmal hokar ek navin maitri ke lie hath nahian badha sakate? maian aj prarthi hooan.

maian us prarthana ki upeksha karata hooan. tumhare pas aishvary ka darp hai, to akinchata usase kahian adhik garv rakhati hai!

tum bahut katu ho gaye ho is samay. achchha, phir kabhi...

n abhi, n phir kabhi. maian daridrata ko bhi dikhala dooanga ki maian kya hooan. is pakhand-sansar mean bhookha rahooanga, parantu kisi ke samane sir n jhukaooanga. ho sakega to sansar ko badhy karooanga jhukane ke lie.

kapinjal chala gaya. nandan hatabuddhi hokar laut aya. us rat ko use niand n aee.

ukt ghatana ko barasoan bit gaye. pataliputr ke dhanakuber kalash ka kumar nandan dhire-dhire us ghatana ko bhool chala. aishvary ka madira-vilas kise sthir rahane deta hai! usane yauvan ke sansar mean b di-b di ashaean lekar padarpan kiya tha. nandan tab bhi mitr se vanchit hokar jivan ko adhik chatur n bana saka.

radha, too kaisi pagali hai? toone kalash ki putr-vadhoo banane ka nishchay kiya hai, ashchary!

haan mahadevi, jab gurujanoan ki ajna hai, tab use to manana hi p dega.

maian rok sakati hooan. moorkh nandan! kitana asangat chunav hai! radha, mujhe daya ati hai.

kisi any prakar se gurujanoan ki ichchha ko tal dena yah meri dharana ke pratikool hai, mahadevi! nandan ki moorkhata saralata ka satyaroop hai. mujhe vah aruchikar nahian. maian us nirmal-hriday ki dekh-rekh kar sakooan, to yah mere manoranjan ka hi vishay hoga.

magadh ki mahadevi ne hansi se kumari ke is sahas ka abhinandan karate hue kaha. teri jaisi ichchha, too svayan bhogegi.

madhavi-kunj se vah virakt hokar uth gee. unhean radha par kanya ke saman hi sneh tha.

din sthir ho chuka tha. svayan magadh-naresh ki upasthiti mean mahashreshthi dhananjay ki kanya ka byah kalash ke putr se ho gaya, adh‌bhut vah samaroh tha. ratnoan ke abhooshan tatha svarn-patroan ke atirikt magadh-samrath ne radha ki priy vastu amooly mani-nirmit dipadhar bhi dahej mean de diya. us utsav ki b daee, pan-bhojan amod-pramod ka vibhavashali charu chayan kusumapur ke nagarikoan ko bahut din tak galp karane ka ek pradhan upakaran tha.

radha kalash ki putr-vadhoo huee.

radha ke navin upavan ke saudh-mandir mean agaru, kastoori aur keshar ki chahal-pahal, pushp-malaoan ka donoan sandhya mean navin ayojan aur dipavali mean vina, vanshi aur mridang ki snigdh gambhir dhvani bikharati rahati. nandan apane sukomal asan par leta hua radha ka anindy saundary ekatak chupachap dekha karata. us susajjit koshth mean mani-nirmit dipadhar ki yantr-mayi nartaki apane noopuroan ki jhankar se nandan aur radha ke lie ek kri da aur kutoohal ka srijan karati rahati. nandan kabhi radha ke khisakate hue uttariy ko sanbhal deta. radha hansakar kahati-

b da kasht hua.

nandan kahata-dekho, tum apane prasadhan hi mean pasine-pasine ho jati ho, tumhean vishram ki avashyakata hai.

radha garv se muskara deti. kitana suhag tha usaka apane saral pati par aur kitana abhiman tha apane vishvas par! ek sukhamay svapn chal raha tha.

kalash-dhan ka upasak seth apani vibhooti ke lie sadaiv sashank rahata. use rajakiy sanrakshan to tha hi, daivi raksha se bhi apane ko sampann rakhana chahata tha. is karan use ek nange sadhu par atyant bhakti thi, jo kuchh hi dinoan se us nagar ke upakanth mean akar rahane laga tha.

usane ek din kaha-sab log darshan karane chaleange.

upahar ke thal prastut hone lage. divy rathoan par baithakar sab sadhu-darshan ke lie chale. vah bhagirathi-tat ka ek kanan tha, jahaan kalash ka banavaya hua kutir tha.

sab log anucharoan ke sath rath chho dakar bhaktipoorn hriday se sadhu ke samip pahuanche. parantu radha ne jab door hi se dekha ki vah sadhu nagn hai, to vah rath ki or laut p di. kalash ne use bulaya; par radha n aee. nandan kabhi radha ko dekhata aur kabhi apane pita ko. sadhu khiloan ke saman phoot p da. daant kitakita kar usane kaha-yah tumhari putr-vadhoo kulakshana hai, kalash! tum ise hata do, nahian to tumhara nash nishchit hai. nandan daanto tale jibh dabakar dhire se bola-are! yah kapinjal .....

anagat bhavishy ke lie bhayabhit kalash kshubdh ho utha. vah sadhu ki pooja karake laut aya. radha apane navin upavan mean utari.

kalash ne poochha-tumane mahapurush se kyoan itana durvinit vyavahar kiya?

nahian pitaji! vah svayan durvinit hai. jo striyoan ko ate dekhakar bhi sadharan shishtachar ka palan nahian kar sakata, vah dharmik mahatma to kadapi nahian!

kya kah rahi hai! ve ek siddh purush haian.

siddhi yadi itani adham hai, dharm yadi itana nirlajj hai, to vah striyoan ke yogy nahian pitaji! dharm ke roop mean kahian ap bhay ki upasana to nahian kar rahe haian?

too sachamuch kulakshana hai!

ise to antaryami bhagavanh hi jan sakate haian. manushy isake lie atyant kshudr hai. pitaji ap....

use rokakar atyant krodh se kalash ne kaha-tujhe is ghar mean rakhana alakshmi ko bulana hai. ja, mere bhavan se nikal ja.

nandan sun raha tha. kath ke putale ke saman! vah is vichar ka ant ho jana to chahata tha; par kya kare, yah usaki samajh mean n aya. radha ne dekha, usaka pati kuchh nahian bolata, to apane garv se sir uthakar kaha-maian dhanakuber ki krit dasi nahian hooan. mere grihinitv ka adhikar keval mera padaskhalan hi chhin sakata hai. mujhe vishvas hai, maian apane acharan se ab tak is pad ki svamini hooan. koee bhi mujhe isase vanchit nahian kar sakata.

ashchary se dekha nandan ne aur hatabuddhi hokar suna kalash ne. donoan upavan ke bahar chale gaye.

vah upavan sabase parityakt aur upekshaniy ban gaya. bhitar baithi radha ne yah sab dekha.

nandan ne pita ka anukaran kiya. vah dhire-dhire radha ko bhool chala; parantu naye byah ka nam lete hi chauank p data. usake man mean dhan ki or vitrishna jagi. aishvary ka yantrik shasan jivan ko niras banane laga. usake man ki atripti, vidroh karane ke lie suvidha khojane lagi.

kalash ne usake manovinod ke lie naya upavan banavaya. nandan apani smritiyoan ka lila-niketan chho dakar rahane laga.

radha ke abhooshan bikate the aur us seth ke dvar ki atithi-seva vaisi hi hoti rahati. mukt dvar ka aparimit vyay aur abhooshanoan ke vikray ki ay-kab tak yah yuddh chale? ab radha ke pas bach gaya tha vahi mani-nirmit dipadhar, jise mahadevi ne usaki kri da ke lie banavaya tha.

tho da-sa ann atithiyoan ke lie bacha tha. radha do din se upavas kar rahi thi. dasi ne kaha-svamini! yah kaise ho sakata hai ki apake sevak, bina apake bhojan kie ann grahan karean?

radha ne kaha-to, aj yah mani-dip bikega. dasi use le aee. vah yantr se bani huee ratn-jatit nartaki nach uthi. usake noopur ki jhankar us daridr bhavan mean ganoojane lagi. radha hansi. usane kaha-manushy jivan mean itani niyamanukoolata yadi hoti?

sneh se choomakar use bechane ke lie anuchar ko de diya. pany mean pahuanchate hi dipadhar b de-b de ratn-vanikoan ki drishti ka ek kutoohal ban gaya. us choo damani ka divy alok sabhi ki aankhoan mean chakachauandh utpann kar deta tha. mooly ki boli badhऩe lagi. kalash bhi pahuancha. usane poochha-yah kisaka hai? anuchar ne uttar diya-meri svamini saubhagyavati shrimati radha devi ka.

lobhi kalash ne daantakar kaha-mere ghar ki vastu is tarah churakar tum log bechane phir jaoge, to bandi-grih mean p doge. bhago.

amooly dipadhar se vanchit sab log laut gaye. kalash use apane ghar uthava le gaya.

radha ne sab suna-vah kuchh n boli.

ganga aur shon mean ek sath hi badh aee. gaanv-ke-gaanv bahane lage. bhishan hahakar macha. kahaan graminoan ki asahay dasha aur kahaan jal ki uddand badh, kachche jhop de us mahajal-vyal ki phooank se titar-bitar hone lage. vrikshoan par jise ashray mila, vahi bach saka. nandan ke hriday ne tisara dhakka khaya. nandan ka satsahas utsahit hua. vah apani poori shakti se navoan ki sena bana kar jalaplavan mean dat gaya aur kalash apane sat khand ke prasad mean baitha yah drishy dekhata raha.

rat navoan par bitati hai aur baansoan ke chhote-chhote be de par din. nandan ke lie dhoop, varsha, shit kuchh nahian. apani dhun mean vah laga hua hai. badh-pi ditoan ka jhund seth ke prasad mean har nav se utarane laga. kalash krodh ke mare bilabila utha. usane ajna di ki badh-pi dit yadi svayan nandan bhi ho, to vah prasad mean n ane pave. ghata ghiri thi, jal barasata tha. kalash apani ooanchi atari par baitha mani-nirmit dipadhar ka nrity dekh raha tha.

nandan bhi usi nav par tha, jis par char durbal striyaan, tin shit se thithure hue bachche aur paanch jirn panjar vale vriddh the. us samay nav dvar par ja lagi. seth ka prasad ganga-tat ki ek ooanchi chattan par tha. vah ek chhota-sa durg tha. jal abhi dvar tak hi pahuanch saka tha. prahariyoan ne nav dekhate hi roka-pi ditoan ko isamean sthan nahian.

nandan ne poochha-kyoan?

mahashreshthi kalash ki ajna.

nandan ne ek krodh se us prasad ki or dekha aur maanjhi ko nav lautane ki ajna di. maanjhi ne poochha-kahaan le chalean? nandan kuchh n bola. nav badh mean chakkar khane lagi. sahasa door use jal-magn vrikshoan ki chotiyoan aur pe doan ke bich mean ek grih ka oopari aansh dikhaee p da. nandan ne sanket kiya. maanjhi usi or nav khene laga.

grih ke niche ke aansh mean jal bhar gaya tha. tho da-sa ann aur eeandhan oopar ke bhag mean bacha tha. radha us jal mean ghiri huee achal thi. chhat ki muander par baithi vah jalamayi prakriti mean doobati huee soory ki antim kiranoan ko dhyan se dekh rahi thi. dasi ne kaha-svamini! vah dipadhar bhi gaya, ab to ham logoan ke lie bahut tho da ann ghar mean bach raha hai.

dekhati nahian yah pralay-si badh! kitane mar mite hoange. tum to pakki chhat par baithi abhi yah drishy dekh rahi ho. aj se maianne apana aansh chho d diya. tum log jab tak ji sako, jina.

sahasa niche jhaankakar radha ne dekha, ek nav usake vatayan se takara rahi hai, aur ek yuvak use vatayan ke sath dridhata ke sath baandh raha hai.

radha ne poochha-kaun hai?

niche sir kiye nandan ne kaha-badh-pi dit kuchh praniyoan ko kya ashray milega? ab jal ka krodh utar chala hai. keval do din ke lie itane maranevaloan ko ashray chahie.

thahariye, sidhi latakaee jati hai.

radha aur dasi tatha anuchar ne milakar sidhi lagaee. nandan vivarn mukh ek-ek ko pith par ladakar oopar pahuanchane laga. jab sab oopar a gaye, to radha ne akar kaha-aur to kuchh nahian hai, keval dvidaloan ka joos in logoan ke lie hai, le aooan.

nandan ne sir uthakar dekha, radha. vah bol utha-radha! tum yahian ho?

haan svami, maian apane ghar mean hooan. grihani ka kartavy palan kar rahi hooan.

par maian grihasth ka kartavy n palan kar saka, radha, pahale mujhe kshama karo.

svami, yah aparadh mujhase n ho sakega. uthie, aj apaki karmanyata se mera lalat ujjval ho raha hai. itana sahas kahaan chhipa tha, nath!

donoan prasann hokar kartavy mean lage. yatha-sambhav un dukhiyoan ki seva hone lagi.

ek prahar ke bad nandan ne kaha-mujhe bhram ho raha hai ki koee yahaan pas hi vipann hai. radha! abhi rat adhik nahian huee hai, maian ek bar nav lekar jaooan?

radha ne kaha-maian bhi chalooan?

nandan ne kaha-grihani ka kam karo, radha! kartavy kathor hota hai, bhav-pradhan nahian.

nandan ek maanjhi ko lekar chala gaya aur radha dipak jalakar muander par baithi thi. dasi aur das pi ditoan ki seva mean lage the. badal khul gaye the. asankhy nakshatr jhalamala kar nikal aye, meghoan ke bandigrih se jaise chhutti mili ho! chandrama bhi dhire-dhire us trast pradesh ko bhayabhit hokar dekh raha tha.

ek ghante mean nandan ka shabd sunaee p da-sidhi.

radha dipak dikhala rahi thi. aur sidhi ke sahare nandan oopar ek bhari bojh lekar chadh raha tha.

chhat par akar usane kaha-ek vastr do, radha! radha ne ek uttariy diya. vah mumoorshu vyakti nagn tha. use dhakakar nandan ne tho da seank diya; garmi bhitar pahuanchate hi vah hilane-dolane laga. niche se maanjhi ne kaha-jal b de veg se hat raha hai, nav dhili n karooanga, to latak jayagi.

nandan ne kaha-tumhare lie bhojan latakata hooan, le lo. kal-ratri bit gee. nandan ne prabhat mean aankhean kholakar dekha ki sab so rahe haian aur radha usake pas baithi sir sahala rahi hai.

itane mean pichhe se laya hua manushy utha. apane ko aparichit sthan mean dekhakar vah chilla utha-mujhe vastr kisane pahanaya, mera vrat kisane bhang kiya?

nandan ne hansakar kaha-kapinjal! yah radha ka grih hai, tumhean usake ajnanusar yahaan rahana hoga. chho do pagalapan! chalo, bahut se prani ham logoan ki sahayata ke adhikari haian. kapinjal ne kaha-so kaise ho sakata hai? tumhara-hamara sang asambhav hai.

mujhe dand dene ke lie hi to tumane yah svaang racha tha. radha to usi din se nirvasit thi aur kal se mujhe bhi apane ghar mean pravesh karane ki ajna nahian. kapinjal! aj to ham aur tum donoan barabar haian aur itane adhamaroan ke pranoan ka dayitv bhi hami logoan par hai. yah vrat-bhang nahian, vrat ka arambh hai. chalo, is daridr kutumb ke lie ann jutana hoga.

kapinjal ajnakari balak ki bhaanti sir jhukaye uth kh da hua.