सेवामार्ग -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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tara ne barah varsh durga ki tapasya ki. n palang par soyi, n kesho ko sanvara aur n netroan mean surma lagaya. prithvi par soti, gerua vastr pahanati aur rookhi rotiyaan khati. usaka mukh murajhaee huee kali ki bhaanti tha, netr jyoti hin aur hriday ek shoony bih d maidan. use keval yahi lau lagi thi ki durga ke darshan paooan. sharir momabatti ki tarah ghulata tha, par yah lau dil se nahian jati yahi usaki ichchha thi, yahi usaka jivanoddeshy. kya too sara jivan ro-rokar kategi ? is samay ke devata patthar ke hote haian. patthar ko bhi kabhi kisi ne pighalate dekha hai ? dekh, teri sakhiyaan pushp ki bhaanti vikasit ho rahi haian, nadi ki tarah badh rahi haian; kya tujhe mujh par daya nahian ati ?’ tara kahati-‘mata, ab to jo lagan lagi, vah lagi. ya to devi ke darshan paooangi ya yahi ichchha liye sansar se prayan kar jaooangi. tum samajh lo, maian mar gee.’

is prakar poore barah varsh vyatit ho gaye aur tab devi prasann huee. ratri ka samay tha. charoan or sannata chhaya hua tha. mandir mean ek dhuandhala-sa ghi ka dipak jal raha tha. tara durga ke pairoan par matha navae sachchi bhakti ka parichay de rahi thi. yakayak us pashan moorti devi ke tan mean sphoorti prakat huee. tara ke roangate kh de ho ge. vah dhuandhala dipak dedipyaman ho gaya. mandir mean chittakarshak sugandh phail gee aur vayu mean sajivata pratit hone lagi. devi ka ujjval roop chandrama ki bhaanti chamakane laga. jyotimay netr jagamaga uthe. hoanth khul ge. avaz ayi-tara; maian tumase bahut prasann hooan. maang, kya var maangati hai?

tara kh di ho gee. usaka sharir is bhaanti kaanp raha tha, jaise pratahkal ke samay kanpit svar mean kisi krishak ke gane ka dhvani. use maloom ho raha tha, mano vah vayu mean u di ja rahi hai. use apane hriday mean uchch vichar aur poorn prakash ka abhas pratit ho raha tha. usane donoan hath jo dakar bhakti-bhav se kaha-bhagavati tumane meri barah varsh ki tapasya poori ki, kis mukh se tumhara gunanuvad gaooan. mujhe sansar ki ve alabhy vastuean pradan ho, jo ichchhaoan ki sima aur meri abhilashaoan ka aant hai. maian vah aishvary chahati hooan, jo soory ko bhi mat kar de.

devi ne muskarakar kaha-svikrit hai.

tara-vah dhan, jo kal-chakr ko bhi lajjit kare.

devi ne muskarakar kaha-svikrit hai.

tara-vah sauandary, jo advitiy ho.

devi ne muskarakar kaha-yah bhi svikrit hai.

tara kuanvari ne shesh ratri jagakar vyatit ki. prabhat kal ke samay usaki aankhean kshan-bhar ke lie jhapak gee. jagi to dekha ki maian sir se paanv tak hire v javahiroan se ladi hooan. usake vishal bhavan ke kalash akash se batean kar rahe the. sara bhavan sangamaramar se bana hua, amooly pattharoan se j da hua tha. dvar par miloan tak hariyali chhayi huee thi. dasiyaan svarnabhooshanoan se ladi huee sunahare kap de pahane hue charoan or dau dati thian. tara ko dekhate hi ve svarn ke lote aur katore lekar dau di. tara ne dekha ki mera palang hathidaant ka hai. bhoomi par b de komal bichhaune bichhe hue haian. sirahane ki or ek b da sundar ooancha shisha rakha hua hai. tara ne usamean apana roop dekha, chakit rah gee. usaka roop chandrama ko bhi lajjit karata tha. divar par anekanek suprasiddh chitrakaroan ke manamohak chitr tange the. par ye sab-ke sab tara ki sundarata ke age tuchchh the. tara ko apani sundarata ka garv hua. vah kee dasiyoan ko lekar vatika mean gayi. vahaan ki chhata dekhakar vah mugdh ho gayi. vayu mean gulab aur kesar ghule hue the. rang-virang ke pushp, vayu ke mand-mand jhoankoan se matavaloan ki tarah jhoom rahe the. tara ne ek gulab ka phool to d liya aur usake rang aur komalata ki apane adhar-pallav se samanata karane lagi. gulab mean vah komalata n thi. vatika ke madhy mean ek billaur j dit hauz tha.

isamean hans aur batakh kilolean kar rahe the. yakayak tara ko dhyan aya, mere ghar ke log kahaan haian ? dasiyoan se poochha. unhoanne kaha—‘ve log purane ghar mean haian.’ tara ne apani atari par jakar dekha. use apana pahala ghar ek sadharan jhoanp de ki tarah drishtigochar hua, usaki bahinean usaki sadharan dasiyoan ke saman bhi n thian. maan ko dekha, vah aangan mean baithi charakha kat rahi thi. tara pahale socha karati thi, ki jab mere din chamakeange, tab maian in logoan ko bhi apane sath rakhooangi aur unaki bhali-bhaanti seva karooangi. par is samay dhan ke garv ne usaki pavitr hardik ichchha ko nirbal bana diya tha. usane ghar valoan ko sneharahit drishti se dekha aur tab vah us manohar gan ko sunane chali gayi, jisaki pratidhvani usake kanoan mean a rahi thi.

ekabaragi zor se ek k daka hua, bijali chamaki aur bijali ki chhataoan se ek jyotisvaroop navayuvak nikalakar tara ke samane namrata se kh da ho gaya. tara ne poochha—tum kaun ho ?

navayuvak ne kaha— shrimati, mujhe vidyutasianh kahate haian. maian shrimati ka ajnakari hooan.

usake vida hote hi vayu ke ushn jhoanke chalane lage. akash mean ek prakash drishtigochar hua. yah kshan-matr mean utarakar tara kuanvari ke samip thahar gaya usamean se ek jvalamukhi manushy ne nikalakar tara ke padoan ko chooma. tara ne poochha—tum kaun ho ?

us manushy ne uttar diya— shrimati, mera nam agnisianh hai ! maian shrimati ka ajnakari sevak hooan.

vah abhi jane bhi n paya tha ki ekabaragi sara mahal jyoti se prakashaman ho gaya. jan p data tha, saik doan bijaliyaan milakar chamak rahi haian. vayu saveg ho gee. ek jagamagata hua sianhasan akash par dikh p da. vah shighrata se prithvi ki or chala aur tara kuanvari ke pas akar thahar gaya. usase ek prakashaman roop ka balak, jisake roop se gambhirata prakat hoti thi, nikalakar tara ke samane nishthabhav se kh da ho gaya. tara ne poochha— tum kaun ho ?

balak ne uttar diya— shrimati ! mujhe mistar rediyam kahate haian. maian shrimati ka ajnapalak hooan.

3

dhani log tara ke bhay se tharrane lage. usake ashcharyajanak sauandary ne sansar ko chakit kar diya. b de-b de mahipati usaki chaukhat par matha rag dane lage. jisaki or usaki kripa-drishti ho jati, vah apana ahaubhagy samajhata, sadaiv ke lie usaka bedam ka gulam ban jata.

ek din tara apani anand-vatika mean tahal rahi thi. achanak kisi ke gane ka manohar shabd sunaee diya. tara vikshipt ho gee. usake darabar mean sansar ke achchhe-achchhe gavaiye maujood the; par vah chittakarshakata, jo in suroan mean thi, kabhi avagat n huee thi. tara ne gayak ko bula bheja.

ek kshan ke anantar mean vatika mean ek sadhu aya, sir par jataean, sharir mean bhasm ramae. usake sath ek toota hua bin tha. usi se vah prabhavashali svar nikalata tha, jo hriday ke anurakt svaroan se kahian priy tha. sadhu akar hauz ke kinare baith gaya. usane tara ke samane shishtabhav nahian dikhaya. ashchary se idhar-udhar drishti nahian dali. us ramaniy sthan mean vah apana sur alapane laga. tara ka chitt vichalit ho utha. dil mean anurag ka sanchar hua. madamatt hokar tahalane lagi. sadhu ke sumanohar madhur alap se pakshi magn ho ge. pani mean laharean uthane lagian. vriksh jhoomane lage. tara ne un chittakarshak suroan se ek chitr khianchate hue dekha. dhire-dhire chitr prakat hone laga. usamean sphoorti ayi. aur tab vah kh di nrity karane lagi. tara chauank p di. usane dekha ki yah mera hi chitr hai, nahian, maian hi hooan. maian hi bin ki tan par nrity kar rahi hooan. use ashchary hua ki maian sansar ki alabhy vastuoan ki rani hooan athava ek svar-chitr. vah sir dhunane lagi aur matavali hokar sadhu ke pairoan se ja lagi.. usaki drishti mean ashcharyajanak parivartan ho gaya samane ke phale-phoole vriksh aur tarange marata hua hauz aur manohar kuanj sab lop ho ge. keval vahi sadhu baitha bin baja raha tha, aur vah svayan usaki tanoan par thirak rahi thi. vah sadhu ab prakash may tara aur alaukik sauandary ki moorti ban gaya tha. jab madhur alap band hua tab tara hosh mean ayi. usaka chitt hath se ja chuka tha. vah us vilakshan sadhu ke hathoan bik chuki thi.

tara boli— svamiji ! yah mahal, yah dhan, yah sukh aur sauandary, sab apake charan-kamal par nichhavar haian. is aandhere mahal ko apane komal charanoan se prakashaman kijie.

sadhu-sadhuoan ko mahal aur dhan ka kya kam ? maian is ghar mean nahian thahar sakata.

tara— sansar ke sare sukh apake lie upasthit haian.

sadhu— mujhe sukhoan ki kamana nahian.

tara— maian ajivan apaki dasi rahooangi. yah kahakar tara ne aine mean apane alaukik sauandary ki chhata dekhi or usake netroan mean chanchalata a gee.

sadhu— tara kuanvari, maian is yogy nahian hooan. yah kahakar sadhu ne bin uthayi aur dvar ki or chala. tara ka garv took-took ho gaya lajja se sir jhuk gaya. vah moorchchhit hokar bhoomipar gir p di. man mean socha—maian dhan mean, aishvary mean, sauandary mean jo apani samata nahian rakhati, ek sadhu ki drishti mean itani tuchchh!

tara ko ab kisi prakar chain nahian tha. use apana bhavan aur aishvary bhayanak maloom hone laga. bas, sadhu ka ek chandrasvaroop usaki aankhoan mean nach raha tha aur usaka svargiy gan kanoan mean gooanj raha tha. usane apane guptacharoan ko bulaya aur sadhu ka pata lagane ki ajna di. bahut chhanabin ke pashchath usi kuti ka pata laga. tara nityaprati vayuyan par baithakar sadhu ke pas jati; kabhi us par lal, javahar lutati; kabhi ratn aur abhooshan ki chhata dikhati. par sadhoo isase tanik vichalit n hua. tara ke maya jal ka us par kuchh bhi asar n hua.

tab tara kuanvari phir durga ke mandir mean gayi aur devi ke charanoan par sir rakhakar boli—mata, tumane mujhe sansar ke sare durlabh padarth pradan kie. maianne samajha tha ki aishvary mean sansar ko das bana lene ki shakti hai, par mujhe ab jnat hua ki prem par aishvary ,sauandary aur vaibhav ka kuchh bhi adhikar nahian. ab ek bar mujh par vahi kripa-drishti ho. kuchh aisa kijie ki jis nishthur ke prem mean maian mari ja rahi hooan use bhi mujhe dekhe bina chain n ae. usaki aankhoan mean bhi niand haram ho jae, vah bhi mere prem-mad mean choor ho jae.

devi ke hoanth khule, muskarayi. usake adhar-pallav vikasit hue boli sunaee di—tara, maian sansar ke padarth pradan kar sakati hooan, par svarg-sukh meri shakti se bahar hai. ‘prem’ svarg-sukh ka mool hai.

tara— mata, sansar ke sare aishvary mujhe janjal jan p date haian. bataie, maian apane prem ko kaise paooangi ?

devi— usaka ek hi marg hai, par hi vah bahut kathin. bhala, tum us par chal sakogi ?

tara— vah kitana kathin ho, maian us marg ka avalamban avashy karooangi.

devi— achchha, to suno; vah seva-marg hai. seva karo, prem seva hi se mil sakata hai.

tara ne apane bahumooly j daoo abhooshanoan aur rangin vastroan ko utar diya. dasiyoan se bida huee. rajabhavan ko tyag diya. akele nange pair sadhu ki kuti mean chali ayi aur seva-marg ka avalamban kiya.

vah kuchh rat rahe uthati. kuti mean jha doo deti. sadhu ke lie ganga se jal lati. jangaloan se pushp chunati. sadhu niand mean hote to vah unhean pankha jhalati. jangali phal to d lati aur kele ke pattal banakar sadhu ke sammukh rakhati. sadhu nadi mean snan karane jaya karate the. tara raste se kankar chunati. usane kuti ke charoan or pushp lagae. ganga se pani lakar sianchati, unhean hara-bhara dekhakar prasann hoti. usane madar ki ruee batori, sadhu ke lie narm gadde taiyar kie. ab aur koee kamana n thi ! seva svayan apana puraskar aur phal thi.

tara ko kee-kee din upavas karana p data. hathoan mean gatte p d ge. pair kaantoan se chalani ho ge. dhoop se komal gat murajha gaya. gulab-sa badan sookh gaya, par usake hriday mean ab svarth aur garv ka shasan n tha. vahaan ab prem ka raj tha; vahaan ab us seva ki lagan thi, jisase kalushata ki jagah anand ka srot bahata aur kaante pushp ban jate haian jahaan ashru-dhara ki jagah netroan se amritrijal ki varsha hoti aur duahkh-vilap ki jagah anand ke rag nikalate haian, jahaan ke patthar ruee se zyada komal haian aur shital vayu se bhi manohar. tara bhool gee ki maian sauandary mean advitiy hooan. dhan vilasini tara ab keval prem ki dasi thi.

sadhu ko van ke khagoan aur mrigoan se prem tha. ve kuti ke pas ekatrit ho jate ! tara unhean pani pilati, dane chugati, god mean lekar unaka dular karati. vishadhar saanp aur bhayanak jantu usake prem ke prabhav se usake sevak ho ge.

bahudha rogi manushy sadhu ke ashirvad lene ate the. tara rogiyoan ki seva-sushroosha karati, jangal se j di-bootiyaan dhooandh lati, unake lie aushadhi banati, unake ghav dhoti, ghavoan par maraham rakhati, rat-rat bhar baithi unhean pankha jhalati. sadhu ke ashirvad ko usaki seva prabhavayukt bana deti thi.

is prakar kitane hi varsh bit ge. garmi ke din the, prithvi tave ki tarah jal rahi thi. hare-bhare vriksh sookhe jate the. ganga garmi se simat gee thi. tara ko pani ke lie bahut door ret mean chalana p data. usaka. komal aang choor-choor ho jata. jalati huee ret mean talave bhun jate. isi dasha mean ek din vah hatash hokar ek vriksh ke niche kshan-bhar dam lene ke lie baith gee. usake netr band ho ge. usane dekha, devi mere sammukh kh di, kripadrishti se mujhe dekh rahi hai. tara ne dau d kar unake padoan ko chooma.

devi ne poochha— tara, teri abhilasha poori huee ?

tara— haan mata, meri abhilasha poori huee.

devi— tujhe prem mil gaya ?

tara— nahian mata, mujhe usase bhi uttam padarth mil gaya. mujhe prem ke hire ke badale seva ka paras mil gaya. mujhe jnat hua hai ki prem seva ka chakar hai. seva ke samane sir jhukakar ab maian prem-bhiksha nahian chahati. ab mujhe kisi doosare sukh ki abhilasha nahian. seva ne mujhe, adar, sukh sabasenivritt kar diya.

devi is bar muskarayi nahian. usane tara ko hriday se lagaya aur drishti se ojhal ho gee.

sandhya ka samay tha. akash mean tare chamakate the, jaise kamal par pani ki booandean. vayu mean chittakarshak shitalata a gee thi. tara ek vriksh ke niche kh di chi diyoan ko dana chugati thi, ki yakayak sadhu ne akar usake charanoan par sir jhukaya aur bola- tara, tumane mujhe jit liya. tumhara aishvary, dhan aur saundary jo kuchh n kar saka, vah tumhari seva ne kar dikhaya. tumane mujhe apane prem mean asakt kar liya. ab maian tumhara das hooan. bolo, tum mujhase kya chahati ho ? tumhare sanket par ab maian apana yog aur vairagy sab kuchh nyochhavar kar dene ke lie prastut hooan.

tara- svamiji ! mujhe ab koee ichchha nahian. maian keval seva ki ajna chahati hooan.

sadhu- maian dikha dooanga ki aise yog sadhakar manushy ka hriday bhi nirjiv bhi nahian hota. maian bhanvare ke sadrish tumhare saundary par mandaraooanga. papihe ki tarah tumhare prem ki rat lagaooanga. ham donoan prem ki nauka par aishvary aur vaibhav ki nadi ki sair kareange, prem kuanjoan mean baithakar prem-charcha kareange aur anand ke manohar rag gaeange.

tara ne kaha- svamiji, seva-marg par chalakar maian sab abhilashaoan se pare ho gee. ab hriday mean aur koee ichchha shesh nahian hai.

sadhu ne in shabdoan ko suna, tara ke charanoan par matha navaya aur ganga ki or chal diya

sanbandhit lekh

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