स्त्री और पुरुष -प्रेमचंद
| chitr:Icon-edit.gif | is lekh ka punarikshan evan sampadan hona avashyak hai. ap isamean sahayata kar sakate haian. "sujhav" |
vipin baboo ke lie stri hi sansar ki sundar vastu thi. vah kavi the aur unaki kavita ke lie striyoan ke roop aur yauvan ki prashansa hi sabase chittakarshak vishay tha. unaki drishti mean stri jagath mean vyapt komalata, madhury aur alankaroan ki sajiv pratima thi. jaban par stri ka nam ate hi unaki aankhean jagamaga uthati thian, kan kh de ho jate the, mano kisi rasik ne gan ki avaz sun li ho. jab se hosh sanbhala, tabhi se unhoanne us suandari ki kalpana karani shuroo ki jo unake hriday ki rani hogi; usamean oosha ki praphullata hogi, pushp ki komalata, kuandan ki chamak, basant ki chhavi, koyal ki dani- vah kavi-varnit sabhi upamaoan se vibhooshit hogi. vah us kalpit moorti ke upasak the, kavitaoan mean usaka gun gate, mitroan se usaki charcha karate, nity usi ke khayal mean mast rahate the. vah din bhi samip a gaya tha, jab unaki ashaean hare-hare pattao se laharayeangi, unaki muradean poori hoangi. kalej ki aantim pariksha samapt ho gayi thi aur vivah ke sandeshe ane lage the.
2 vivah tay ho gaya. vipin baboo ne kanya ko dekhane ka bahut agrah kiya, lekin jab unake mamooan ne vishvas dilaya ki l daki bahut hi roopavati hai, maianne use apani aankhoan se dekha hai, tab vah raji ho gaye. dhoomadham se barat nikali aur vivah ka moorhoot aya. vadhoo abhooshanoan se saji huee mandap mean ayi to vipin ko usake hath-paanv najar aye. kitani suandar uangaliyaan thian, mano dip-shikhaean hoan, aangoan ki shobha kitani manoharini thi. vipin phoole n samaye. doosare din vadhoo vida huee to vah usake darshanoan ke lie itane adhir hue ki jyoan hi raste mean kaharoan ne palaki rakhakar muanh-hath dhona shuroo kiya, ap chupake se vadhoo ke pas ja pahuanche. vah ghooanghat hataye, palaki se sir nikale bahar jhaank rahi thi. vipin ki nigah us par p d gayi. ghrina, krodh aur nirasha ki ek lahar-si un par dau d gayi. yah vah param sundari ramani n thi jisaki unhoanne kalpana ki thi, jisaki vah barasoan se kalpana kar rahe the- yah ek chau de muanh, chipati nak, aur phoole hue galoan vali kuroopa stri thi. rang gora tha, par usamean lali ke badale saphedi thi; aur phir rang kaisa hi suandar ho, roop ki kami nahian poori kar sakata. vipin ka sara utsah thanda p d gaya- ha! ise mere hi gale p dana tha. kya isake lie samast sansar mean aur koee n milata tha? unhean apane mamooan par krodh aya jinhoanne vadhoo ki tariphoan ke pul baandh diye the. agar is vakt vah mil jate to vipin unaki aisi khabar leta ki vah bhi yad karate. jab kaharoan ne phir palakiyaan uthayian to vipin man mean sochane laga, is stri ke sath kaise maian bolooanga, kaise isake sath jivan katooanga. isaki or to takane hi se ghrina hoti hai. aisi kuroopa striyaan bhi sansar mean haian, isaka mujhe ab tak pata n tha. kya muanh eeshvar ne banaya hai, kya aankhean haian! maian aur sare aiboan ki or se aankhean band kar leta, lekin vah chau da-sa muanh! bhagavanh! kya tumhean mujhi par yah vajrapat karana tha.
3 vipin ko apana jivan narak-sa jan p data tha. vah apane mamooan se l da. sasur ko lamba kharra likhakar phatakara, maan-bap se hujjat ki aur jab isase shaanti n huee to kahian bhag jane ki bat sochane laga. asha par use daya avashy ati thi. vah apane ko samajhata ki isamean us bechari ka kya dosh hai, usane jabaradasti to mujhase vivah kiya nahian. lekin yah daya aur yah vichar us ghrina ko n jit sakata tha jo asha ko dekhate hi usake rom-rom mean vyapt ho jati thi. asha apane achchhe-se-achchhe kap de pahanati; tarah-tarah se bal sanvarati, ghantoan aine ke samane kh di hokar apana shrriangar karati, lekin vipin ko yah shuturagamaza-se maloom hote. vah dil se chahati thi ki unhean prasann karooan, unaki seva ke lie avasar khoja karati thi; lekin vipin usase bhaga-bhaga phirata tha. agar kabhi bheant ho bhi jati to kuchh aisi jali-kati batean karane lagata ki asha roti huee vahaan se chali jati.
sabase buri bat yah thi ki usaka charitr bhrasht hone laga. vah yah bhool jane ki cheshta karane laga ki mera vivah ho gaya hai. kee-kee dinoan tak asha ko usake darshan bhi n hote. vah usake kahakahe ki avajean bahar se ati huee sunati, jharokhe se dekhati ki vah dostoan ke gale mean hath dale sair karane ja rahe haian aur t dapakar rah jati.
ek din khana khate samay usane kaha- ab to apake darshan hi nahian hote. kya mere karan ghar chho d dijiega kya?
vipin ne muanh pherakar kaha- ghar hi par to rahata hooan. ajakal jara naukari ki talash hai isalie dau d-dhoop zyada karani p dati hai.
asha kisi daktar se meri soorat kyoan nahian banava dete? sunati hooan, ajakal soorat bananevale daktar paida hue haian.
vipin- kyoan nahak chidhati ho, yahaan tumhean kisane bulaya tha?
asha- akhir is marj ki dava kaun karega?
vipin- is marj ki dava nahian hai. jo kam eeshvar se n karate bana use adami kya bana sakata hai?
asha- yah to tumhian socho ki eeshvar ki bhool ke lie mujhe dand de rahe ho. sansar mean kaun aisa adami hai jise achchhi soorat buri lagati ho, lekin tumane kisi mard ko keval roopahin hone ke karan kvaanra rahate dekha hai, roopahin l dakiyaan bhi maan-bap ke ghar nahian baithi rahatian. kisi-n-kisi tarah unaka nirvah ho hi jata hai; usaka pati un par pran n deta ho, lekin doodh ki makkhi nahian samajhata.
vipin ne jhuanjhalakar kaha- kyoan nahak sir khati ho, maian tumase bahas to nahian kar raha hooan. dil par jabr nahian kiya ja sakata aur n daliloan ka us par koee asar p d sakata hai. maian tumhean kuchh kahata to nahian hooan, phir tum kyoan mujhase hujjat karati ho?
asha yah jhi daki sunakar chali gayi. use maloom ho gaya ki inhoanne meri or se sada ke lie hriday kathor kar liya hai.
4 vipin to roj sair-sapate karate, kabhi-kabhi rat gayab rahate. idhar asha chianta aur nairashy se ghulate-ghulate bimar p d gayi. lekin vipin bhoolakar bhi use dekhane n ata, seva karana to door raha. itana hi nahian, vah dil mean manata tha ki vah mar jati to gala chhootata, abaki khoob dekh-bhalakar apani pasand ka vivah karata.
ab vah aur bhi khul khela. pahale asha se kuchh dabata tha, kam-se-kam use yah dh daka laga rahata tha ki koee meri chal-dhal par nigah rakhanevala bhi hai. ab vah dh daka chhoot gaya. kuvasanaoan mean aisa lipt ho gaya ki maradane kamare mean hi jamaghat hone lage. lekin vishay-bhog mean dhan hi ka sarvanash nahian hota, isase kahian adhik budhdi aur bal ka sarvanash hota hai. vipin ka chehara pila p dane laga, deh bhi kshin hone lagi, pasaliyoan ki hadidyaan nikal ayian, aankhoan ke ird-gird gadhe p d gaye. ab vah pahale se kahian zyada shauq karata, nity tel lagata, bal banavata, kap de badalata, kintu mukh par kaanti n thi, rang-rogan se kya ho sakata?
ek din asha baramade mean charapaee par leti huee thi. idhar haphtoan se usane vipin ko n dekha tha. unhean dekhane ki ichchha huee. use bhay tha ki vah n ayeange, phir bhi vah man ko n rok saki. vipin ko bula bheja. vipin ko bhi us par kuchh daya a gayi. akar samane kh de ho gaye. asha ne unake muanh ki or dekha to chauank p di. vah itane durbal ho gaye the ki pahachanana mushkil tha. boli- kya, tum bhi bimar ho kya? tum to mujhase bhi zyada ghul gaye ho.
vipin- uanh, ziandagi mean rakha hi kya hai jisake lie jine ki fikr karooan!
asha- jine ki fikr n karane se koee itana dubala nahian ho jata. tum apani koee dava kyoan nahian karate?
yah kahakar usane vipin ka dahina hath pak dakar apani charapaee par baitha liya. vipin ne bhi hath chhu dane ki cheshta n ki. unake svabhav mean is samay ek vichitr namrata thi, jo asha ne kabhi n dekhi thi. batoan se bhi nirasha tapakati thi. akkh dapan tha, krodh ki gandh bhi n thi. asha ko aisa maloom hua ki unaki aankhoan mean aansoo bhare hue haian. vipin charapaee par baithate hue bole- meri dava ab maut karegi. maian tumhean jalane ke lie nahian kahata. eeshvar janata hai, maian tumhean chot nahian pahuanchana chahata. maian ab zyada dinoan tak n jiooanga. mujhe kisi bhayankar rog ke lakshan dikhaee de rahe haian. daktaroan ne bhi yahi kaha hai. mujhe isaka khed hai ki mere hathoan tumhean kasht pahuancha par kshama karana. kabhi-kabhi baithe-baithe mera dil doob jata hai, moorchha-si a jati hai.
yah kahate-kahate ekaek vah kaanp uthe. sari deh mean sanasani-si dau d gayi. moorchhit hokar charapaee par gir p de aur hath-pair patakane lage. muanh se phichakur nikalane laga. sari deh pasine se tar ho gayi.
asha ka sara rog hava ho gaya. vah mahinoan se bistar n chho d saki thi. par is samay usake shithil aangoan mean vichitr sphoorti dau d gayi. usane teji se uthakar vipin ko achchhi tarah leta diya aur unake mukh par pani ke chhiante dene lagi. mahari bhi dau di ayi aur pankha jhalane lagi. bahar khabar huee, mitroan ne dau dakar daktar ko bulaya. bahut yatn karane par bhi vipin ne aankhean n kholian. sandhya hote-hote unaka muanh tedha ho gaya aur bayaan aang shoony p d gaya. hilana to door raha, muanh se bat nikalana bhi mushkil ho gaya. yah moorchchha n thi, falij tha.
5 falij ke bhayankar rog mean rogi ki seva karana asan kam nahian. us par asha mahinoan se bimar thi. lekin is rog ke samane vah apana rog bhool gayi. 15 dinoan tak vipin ki halat bahut najuk rahi. asha din-ke-din aur rat-ki-rat unake pas baithi rahati. unake lie pathy banana, unhean god mean sanbhal kar dava pilana, unake jara-jara se ishare ko samajhana usi jaisi dhairyashila stri ka kam tha. apana sir dard se phata karata, jvar se deh tapa karati, par isaki use jara bhi parava n thi.
15 dinoan ke bad vipin ki halat kuchh sanbhali. unaka dahina pair to luanj p d gaya tha, par totali bhasha mean kuchh bolane lage the. sabase buri gat unake suandar mukh ki huee thi. vah itana tedha ho gaya tha ki jaise koee rabar ke khilaune ko khianchakar badha de. baitari ki madad se jara der ke lie baith ya kh de to ho jate the; lekin chalane-phirane ki takat n thi. ek din lete-lete unhean kya jane kya khayal aya. aeena uthakar apana muanh dekhane lage. aisa kuroop adami unhoanne kabhi n dekha tha. ahista se bole- asha, eeshvar ne mujhe garoor ki saza de di. vastav mean yah usi buraee ka badala hai, jo maianne tumhare sath ki. ab tum agar mera muanh dekhakar ghrina se muanh pher lo to mujhe tumase jara bhi shikayat n hogi. maian chahata hooan ki tum mujhase us durvavyovahar ka badala lo, jo maianne tumhare sath kiye haian.
asha ne pati ki or komal bhav-se dekhakar kaha- maian to apakoab bhi usi nigah se dekhati hooan. mujhe to apamean koee aantar nahian dikhaee deta.
vipin- vah, bandar ka-sa muanh ho gaya hai, tum kahati ho koee aantar hi nahian. maian to ab kabhi bahar n nikalooanga. eeshvar ne mujhe sachamuch dand diya.
6 bahut yatn kiye gaye par vipin ka muanh n sidha hua. mukh ka bayaan bhag itana tedha ho gaya tha ki chehara dekhakar dar maloom hota tha. haan, pairoan mean itani shakti a gayi ki ab vah chalane-phirane lage.
asha ne pati ki bimari mean devi ki manauti ki thi. aj usi pooja ka utsav tha. muhalle ki striyaan banav-siangar kiye jama thian. gana-bajana ho raha tha.
ek saheli ne poochha- kyoan asha, ab to tumhean unaka muanh jara bhi achchha n lagata hoga.
asha ne ganbhir hokar kaha- mujhe to pahale se kahian achchha maloom hota hai.
'chalo, batean banati ho.'
'nahian bahan, sach kahati hooan; roop ke badale mujhe unaki atma mil gayi jo roop se kahian badhakar hai.'
vipin kamare mean baithe hue the. kee mitr jama the. tash ho raha tha.
kamare mean ek khi daki thi jo aangan mean khulati thi. is vakt vah band thi. ek mitr ne chupake se use khol diya, aur shishe se jhaankakar vipin se kaha- aj to tumhare yahaan pariyoan ka achchha jamaghat hai.
vipin- band kar do.
'aji, jara dekho to kaisi-kaisi soorate haian! tumhean in saboan mean kaun sabase achchhi maloom hoti hai?'
vipin ne u dati huee najaroan se dekh kaha- mujhe to vahi sabase achchhi maloom hoti hai jo thal mean phool rakh rahi hai.
'vah ri apaki nigah! kya soorat ke sath tumhari nigah bhi big d gayi? mujhe to vah sabase badasoorat maloom hoti hai.'
'isalie ki tum usaki soorat dekhate ho aur maian usaki atma dekhata hooan.'
'achchha, yahi misez vipin haian?'
'ji haan, yah vahi devi hai.'