bTt+r dh dher /ke¨Z d¨ eSa igyh ckj dc feyh eq>s ;kn ugha - gk¡ tc Hkh yfyrk ] oh.kk d¢ ?kj ] cPp¨a d¨ ysdj vkrh & /ke¨Z ges‘kk cPp¨a d¢ lkFk g¨rh Fkh - v/ksM+ mej dh v©jr ] ikp QqV n¨ bap ] lj ij nqIkV~Vk dl dj fyiVk gqvk v©j iSj¨a esa jaxhu xqjxkch - ß uk th uk & esjs cl dk uk vc - lqurs dgk¡ gSa ;s y¨x ! dc rd cSBh jgw¡xh bud¢ ihNs ] igys ek¡ d¨ ikyk & vc bUgsa lcd¨ ] ckr uk lqurs gSa vc esjh ;g ] eq>s vc vius xk¡o pys tkuk gS - ge Hkh r¨ viuk ?kj clk;sa vc ] dc rd bud¢ gh cPp¨a d¨ ikYkrs jg¨ ] Hkyk iwN¨ r¨ vc \ cPp¨a ij bldk d¨Ã vlj uk g¨rk ] og oSls gh m/ke epkrs jgrs v©j /ke¨Z yxkrkj cqM+cqM+krh jgrh - ,slk eSaus dà ckj ns[kk Fkk - yfyrk ;gk¡ d¢ LFkkuh; ß ljdkjh ckfydk fo|ky; ß esa oh.kk d¢ lkFk Vhpj Fkh - yfyrk dh n¨ csfV;k¡ Fkh ] rhljs cPps dh rS;kjh Fkh - /ke¨Z us ,syku dj fn;k fd o¨ okfil vius xk¡o igkM+ ij tk jgh gS - /ke¨Z djhc iphl lky igys ] ugku esa ] p©gku lkfgc d¢ ;gk¡ mud¢ ?kj d¢ dke & dkt+ djus d¢ fy, vkà Fkh - mld¢ xkaWo dk ,d vkneh p©gku lkgc d¢ n¶rj esa u©dj Fkk - og vius xk¡o tk jgk Fkk ] iwNk fd lkgc th ] vius xk¡o tk jgk gw¡ th ] d¨Ã lsok g¨ r¨ dfg;s! p©gku lkgc us rdkt+k fd;k fd d¨Ã dke & dkt djus okyh ,d yM+dh ys vkuk ] vktdy ;gk¡ ‘kgj esa r¨ d¨Ã <+ax ls dke gh ugha djrk & ;g y¨ chl #i;s ] cky & cPp¨a d¢ fy, dqN ys tkuk v©j ml yM+dh dk fdjk;k Hkh r¨ yxsxk v©j /ke¨Z vk xà ugku - igys mldh ckrsa fdlh d¨ le> uk vkrh ] fQj dqN vkus yxh A] th gekjk Åij xkWAo gS ] cgqr Åij igkM+¨ ij xk¡o gS th gekjk & n¨ fnu pyuk iM+sxk th & dHkh vki esjs lkFk pyuk th & lc gw¡ gk¡ dj nsrs - fiNyh xeÊ;¨a dh NqfV~V;¨a esa eSa tc i©aVk xà r¨ yfyrk cPp¨a d¨ ysdj lqcg gh vk igq¡ph - x¨n esa rhu eghus dh lcls N¨Vh iwtk Fkh v©j djhc ckgjk lky dh ,d yM+dh mldh leHkky djus okyh ] eqUuh mud¢ lkFk Fkh - yfyrk ] eqUuh ls N¨Vh cPph iwtk d¨ ckgj ys tkus d¨ dgrh v©j o¨ dqN gh nsj ckn gh og mls vUnj ys vkrh v©j yfyrk d¨ vkdj dgrh fd ^ th ] ;g r¨ ckgj tkdj j¨rh gS - eSa D;k d: \^ v©j o¨ Hkkx dj ckgj vk ] cPp¨a d¢ lkFk [ksyus yxrh - yfyrk ckj & ckj eqUuh ij [kht jgh Fkh ] ij mls dqN [kkl QdZ uk iM+rk ] og gj ckr vk¡[ks uhps dj mldh ckr lqurh v©j ckgj tkrs gh og v©j cPp¨a dh rjg pgdus yxrh ] [kqn Hkh cPph Fkh o¨ - eSAus mRlqdrk ls iwN fy;k ] ß yfyrk /ke¨Z dgk¡ xà \ yfyrk fcQj xà ] ß ej xà - fnekx [kjkc gS mldk - vius xk¡o xà gS ] ‘kknh djok;sxh - /ke¨Z bl mej esa ] cgqr le>;k th mls - vc dSls g¨xh ‘kknh rsjh \ ipkl dh g¨ xà gS rw¡ ij - - - bu Åij oky¨a dk lp - - - D;k c¨yw¡ cl fnekx dqN v©j gh fdle dk g¨rk gS budk - vc /ke¨Z d¨ bl mej esa ‘kknh ;kn vkà - D;k vkius igys ,slk dHkh lquk gS \ ge lc g¡lus yxs ] ß /ke¨Z ‘kknh djkus xà gS - - - fdrus eghus g¨ x;s - - -ß yfyrk Hkh gl¡us yxh ] ß ikxy gS ] ikxy gS o¨ ] geus gh bRkus lky dkV fy;s mld¢ lkFk - - - ;g N¨Vh iwtk g¨us Okyh Fkh ij ugha :dh o¨ & th e©t djs - d¨Ã lkjh mej Fk¨M+h gh cSBk jgrk gS & ij ;g Fkk fd mld¢ g¨us ls eq>s cPp¨a dh fQdj uk Fkh ] ;g n¨u¨a r¨ mlh us ikyh gSa &ß fQj t+¨j ls galh ]ß eq>s Hkh r¨ mlus gh ikyk gS - ß lnÊ iwjs t+¨j¨ ij Fkh fd vpkud Q¨u vk;k fd i©aVk esa enu thtk th dk gkVZ Q¢y g¨ x;k gS - eSa v©j iwUuw igyh cl ysdj fudy vk;s & lkjk fnu oh.kk d¢ ?kj d¨Ã uk d¨Ã vkRkk jgrk ] cl ckj & ckj ogh ckr dgrs lqurs & eu cgqr mnkl Fkk - oh.kk d¨ Hkh vd¢ys ugha N¨M+ ldrs Fks - o¨ bl gknls ls mÒj ugha Ikk jgh Fkh & yfyrk v©j fcYyw yxkrkj vkrs & tkrs jgrs Fks - dà ckj yfyrk cPps Hkh ys vkrh ] lkFk esa /ke¨Z Hkh g¨rh - i©aVk dh lnÊ esa Hkh n¨igj dh /kwi cgqr pednkj g¨rh gS - /kwi esa cSBus ls gfM~M;¨a ls lnÊ fudy tkrh gS - eSa vk¡xu esa cSBh v[kckj i<+ jgh Fkh & cPps cxhps esa [ksy jgs Fks & /ke¨Zs esjs ikl vk [kM+h gqà - ß gk¡ th c¨y¨ ] Þ eSaus v[kckj uhps dj ns[kk ] ikl gh ,d ew<+k iM+k Fkk eSaus /ke¨Z d¨ dgk ] ß vk cSB tk - Þ o¨ Fk¨M+h nwj ew<+k fljdk d¢ cSB xà - fQj /khjs ls c¨yh ] ß nhnh th ] ,d ckr iwNw \ ß gk¡ iwN ß eSaus dgk - ß cl vki gh flXkszV ihrs g¨ v©j vkidh cgusa ugha ihrh ] gS uk \ Þ eSaus v[kckj lesV dj uhps j[k fn;k - ß gk¡ /ke¨Z eSa gh ihrh gw¡ & rw ugha ihrh D;k \ igkM+¨a esa r¨ v©jrsa ihrh gSa uk chM+h & flXkszV \ Þ ß th ] gekjs xk¡o¨a esa r¨ gqDdk Hkh ih ysrs gSa ge y¨x - eSa Hkh ih ysrh gw¡ ] chMh+ ihrh gw¡ - flXkszV eg¡xh g¨rh gS th & cl vki y¨x¨a d¢ lkeus ugha ihrh eSa ] th y¨x cqjk ekurs gSa uk th - gS uk esjs ikl chM+h ] ns[k¨ th -ß mldh tsc esa 27uÛ dh chM+h dk cM+y Fkk v©j ekfpl Hkh - eSaus viuh flXkszV dh fMCch ls ,d flXkszV fudky mldh rjQ c<+k nh ] ß ys ] ih ys ] eSa ugha ekurh cqjk -Þ /ke¨Z ‘kekZ xà ] c¨yh ] ß nhnh th ] rw LkkW cM+s vPNs g¨ ! ß eSaus Hkh flXkszV yxk yh - ß rw okfil dc vkà /ke¨Z ] fiNyh ckj tc eSa xeÊ esa vkà Fkh ] rw ;gk¡ ugha Fkh \ /ke¨Z us ,d yEck lk¡l fy;k ] eqV~Bgh cuk dj ,d yEck d‘k vUnj [khapk ] dqN nsj /kwa;s d¨ vUnj gh j¨d¢ jgh ] fQj /khjs & /khjs mlus /kqvk¡ ckgj N¨M+k ] pqVdh ct+kdj jk[k >kM+us yxh - cgqr /khjs ls c¨yh ] ß g¨ x;s n¨ & ,d eghus - Þ vius d¨ j¨d ugha ikà ] fQj eSaus iwN fy;k ] ß g¨ xà rsjh ‘kknh /ke¨Z ! Þ /ke¨Z yEcs & yEcs d‘k ysdj flXkszV ihrh jgh - fQj mlus tehu ij flXkszV QSad fn;k v©j iSj d¢ uhps ely dj cq>k;k ] ß gk¡ ] D;¨a uk g¨rh esjh ‘kknh th ] gqà esjh ‘kknh - ß fQj pqi - ß r¨ ;g crk fd dgk¡ gS rsjk ejn \ /ke¨Z us nqiV~Vk t¨ mld¢ flj ij t+¨j ls fyiVk Fkk ] [k¨y dj fQj t+jk v©j dl dj fyiVk fy;k - dqN v©j lh/kh g¨ dj cSB xà - mlus vc ckr dj ysus dk eu cuk fy;k Fkk - ß esjk ejn r¨ ogha gS xk¡o esa ] nhnh th ] gekjs ;gk¡ b/kj dh rjg ugha g¨rk th - vki le>rs g¨ uk - tc eSa xk¡o xà ] r¨ eSaus vius cqM+s d¨ dg fn;k ] fd eSa r¨ vc ‘kknh d#¡xh - brus lky eSaus dke fd;k v©j rq>s iSlk dek dj fn;k ] vc eSa viuk /kj clkÅ¡xh - Þ ß esjs cqM+s us iapk;r esa ckr dh v©j iapk;r us xk¡o esa bd ejn Fkk mlls esjh ‘kknh rS; dj nh - rS; gqvk fd o¨ rhu l© ipkl :i;s ns v©j [kkus & ihus dk [kpZ ns ] r¨ ‘kknh g¨ ldrh gS ] th ] ,sls gh g¨rk gS gekjs ;gk¡ - mej mldh Hkh Fkh th - yM+dk r¨ ugha Fkk vc & ij mlls g¨ xà esjh ‘kknh th -Þ eq>s dqN vpEHkk lk gqvk ij ftKklk cM+ xà v©j tkuus dh - flXkszV d¢ iSdV ls flXkszV fudky ,d vIkus eqg¡ esa yxk yh v©j ,d mldh rjQ c<+k nh - eSaus flXkszV lqyxk yh ] /ke¨Z us flXkszV gkFk esa idM+ yh - eSaus iwNk ] fQj - - - Þ ß fQj D;k th ] ogha losjs ikuh ysus tkv¨ ] fQj ydM+h chuus tx¡y tkv¨ - - - - v©j vkdj j¨Vh & ikuh dj¨ - jkr iMs+ vkneh d¢ lkFk l¨ y¨ ] th cl ;gh -Þ ß fQj & fQj D;k gqvk ] /ke¨Z \ ß cl th v©j D;k - j¨t+ ;gh ] j¨t+ ;gh ] uk th uk ] lp c¨yw nhnh th ] esjk fny uk yxk ogk¡ - cUnk ikxy g¨ tk;s & fny yxkus d¨ uk jsfM;¨ uk Vh- oh- - eSaus r¨ dg fn;k th ] eSa uk jg ldrh ;gk¡ vc ] eSa okfil tkÅ¡xh ] th - esjk th uk yXkrk vc ;gk¡ - Þ /ke¨Z us flXkszV lqyxkyh - o¨ dgha nwj vius igkM+h xk¡o esa [k¨Ã Fkh - esjs fy, vius vki d¨ j¨duk ikuk eq‘dhy g¨ jgk Fkk - v©j iwN gh fy;k ] ß rw mld¨ rykd nsxh D;k \ Þ Þ D;k ckrsa djrh g¨ th ] nhnh vki \ uk uk gekjs ;gk¡ uk ,slk g¨ ldrk gS - eSa r¨ iapk;r esa xà ] c¨yk eSaus ] ß esjk fny ugha yxs ;gk¡ & g¡k th eSa r¨ okfil tkÅ¡xh t:j - cl vc uk jguk eSaus ;gk¡ -ß Þ /ke¨Z jax esa crk jgh Fkh - ß iapk;r us dg fn;k ] ugha jguk r¨ iSls okfil dj n¨ ] v©j pys tkv¨ -Þ ß rqus D;k iSlk okfil dj fn;k /ke¨Z \ß eSaus mRlqdrk ls iwNk - ß g¡k th ] nhnh th ] eSaus rhu l© chl :i;s okfil dj fn;s v©j vk xà okfil -Þ /ke¨Z us cM+s xoZ ls dgk - ß esjs cki us rhl :i;s [kpZ fn;s Fks - th ] iSlk t¨ eSaus mld¢ ikl j[kk Fkk - eSaus iapk;r ls dg fn;k ] th ] esjs ikl cl vc rhu l© chl gh gSa - o¨ eku x;s - Þ ß ;g r¨ d¨Ã ckr Bhd uk gqà /ke¨Z ] iSlk r¨ iwjs okfil djus pkfg, Fks -Þ eSaus pqVdh yh - /ke¨Z ped mBh ] ß djhc rhu eghus eSa jgh th mld¢ lkFk ] D;k gekjh bTtr dh d¨Ã dher ugha gS D;k \ Þ eSa pfdr jg xà mldk rdZ lqu dj - Þ lqu /ke¨Z ] r¨ D;k rsjh bTt+r dh dher flQZ rhl :i;s gS \ Þ og HkM+d d¢ [kM+h g¨ xà - t+¨j ls c¨yh ] ß ;gh r¨ ckr gS th ] nhnh th ] rqe ‘kgj okfy;k¡ ] ckr d¨ le>rh uk g¨ - D;k eSa Ukgha jgh mld¢ lkFk & vxj o¨ esjs lkFk l¨;k r¨ - eSa Hkh r¨ l¨Ã mld¢ lkFk - Ukgha djuh eSaus ckr vkils ] irk ugha rqe ] rqe ‘kgj okfy;k¡ vius d¨ le>rh D;k g¨ \ tSls jWc us lkjh cq)h cl vki y¨x¨a d¨ gh nh g¨ \ß