Braahman aur magarmachchh: Siyaar ka nyaay

Ek nirdhan braahman lambe din ke ant mein ek mahaan nadi ke tat par ghar laut raha tha, haath mein laathi aur kandhe par gathri liye, jab usne chhichhle jal se dayaneeya rudan suna. Neeche dekhkar usne machhuaare ke jaal mein fansa ek vishaal magarmachchh dekha, uske mahaajabde rassiyon mein uljhe, surya uski shalka sukha raha tha. Mujhe bachaao, he pavitra purush, magarmachchh chillaaya. Jaal mera maans kaat raha hai, aur main yahaan garmi mein mar jaaunga. Daya karo aur mujhe mukta karo. Braahman hichka, kyonki vah magarmachchhon ka swabhaav jaanta tha. Yadi main tumhein mukta karoon, usne kaha, to tum mujhe kha jaaoge. Tumhaari jaati yahi karti hai. Kabhi nahin, magarmachchh ne virodh kiya, vachan barsaate hue. Kya main apne hi uddhaarkarta ko nigloonga? Mujhe mukta karo, aur main sada tumhaara sevak rahunga. Braahman ka dayaalu hriday uski saavdhaani par vijayi hua, yadyapi uske bheetar ek nanha swar chetaavani deta raha. Vah keechad mein ghutanon par baitha, ungliyon se gaanthhein kholin jab tak ve dukhne na lageen, aur ant mein apne chhote chaaku se antim rassi kaati, mahaapashu ko mukta karte hue. Magarmachchh zor ki chhapaak se jal mein swatantra phisla. Parantu jaise hi vah mukta hua, uski aankhein bhookh se chamkin, aur usne apne bhayaanak jabdon mein braahman ka pair pakad liya. Tumne vachan diya tha, braahman chillaaya. Aur tum mera vishvaas karke moorkh the, magarmachchh hansa. Yah hamaari jaati ka niyam hai: balvaan nirbal ko khaata hai, aur kritagyata shikaar dwara gadha shabda hai. Braahman ne jeevan ki bheekh maangi, aur ant mein magarmachchh ek saude par sehmat hua: hum teen nyaayaadhishon se poochhein ki kya mujhe tumhein khaana uchit hai, aur bahumat jo kahe vahi maanein. Ve pratham nyaayaadhish ke paas gaye, nadi tat par ek puraana aamravriksha. Vriksha ne maun sunkar aah bhari, sookhe patton mein vaayu jaisi dhvani. Manushya meri daaliyaan eendhan hetu kaatte hain, ve ritu mein mere phal todte hain aur badle mein kuch nahin dete, vriksha ne kaha. Jab main yuva tha to ve meri chhaaya mein vishraam karte the; ab jab main boodha hoon to ve mujhe lakdi hetu dekhte hain. Main manushyon ko sau varshon se jaanta hoon, aur main kehta hoon: ise kha lo. Magarmachchh apne samast bhayaanak daanton sahit muskuraaya. Khaane hetu ek mat. Ve dwiteeya nyaayaadhish ke paas gaye, paas charta ek boodha bail, uski pasaliyaan khaal se dikhti huin. Jab main balvaan hoon to manushya mujhe hal mein jot te hain aur jab boodha hoon to tyaag dete hain, bail ne kaha. Maine jeevanbhar manushyon ki seva ki, aur yah mera puraskaar hai. Ise kha lo, kyonki manushya isse behtar ke yogya nahin. Magarmachchh ki muskaan aur chaudi hui. Khaane hetu do mat. Braahman sir se pair tak kaanpa, kyonki ek aur mat uski niyati seal kar deta. Tab maarg par triteeya nyaayaadhish aaya, ek siyaar, apni chamkeeli aankhon sahit tezi se daudta hua. Braahman ne aadi se ant tak sampoorn maamla samjhaaya, aur siyaar ne gambheerta se suna, apna gyaani sir hilaate hue. Yah kathin vishay hai, siyaar ne kaha. Nyaay se pehle mujhe theek-theek samajhna hoga ki kya hua tha. Mujhe dikhaao ki magarmachchh kaise fansa tha, kyonki dekhe bina main nirnay nahin kar sakta. Magarmachchh ne, vijay ke vishvaas sahit, sahaj sehmati di. Atah ve sab jaal par vaapas gaye, aur siyaar ne kaha, ab, theek vaise jaal mein ghuso jaise tum the, taaki main dekh sakoon. Magarmachchh ne, garv se phoola hua, jaal mein vaapas rengkar braahman ko rassiyaan theek pehle jaisi baandhne deen. Lo, magarmachchh ne kaha, ab nyaay karo. Siyaar ki chamkeeli aankhein sharaarat se chamkin. Maine nyaay kar diya, usne kaha. Magarmachchh, tum theek vaheen ho jahaan yah pavitra purush ne tumhein paaya tha, aur vaheen tum rahoge. Braahman, ghar jaao, aur agli baar magarmachchh ko mukta mat karna. Yah kehkar siyaar prasannata se daudta gaya, magarmachchh ko jaal mein asahaay chhatpataata chhodkar aur braahman ko ek amoolya shiksha sahit ghar ki or jaldi karta hua jise vah jeevanbhar na bhoola. Yah katha sikhaane sunai jaati hai ki kritaghna tumhaari daya ko tumhaare viruddh astra banaayega, ki aavashyakta mein kiye vachan kuch moolya nahin rakhte, aur jab bal aur chaturaai bhidein, to mahaamagarmachchh nahin, apitu pratyutpannamati siyaar din le jaata hai.