Brahmin, Bakri aur Teen Dhoort

Ganga ke tat par ek gaanv mein ek nirdhan parantu vidvaan brahmin rehta tha jo apne din praarthana aur adhyayan mein bitaata tha. Ek din ek dhani vyaapaari brahmin ki bhakti se prasann hokar use yagya hetu ek sundar, moti bakri uphaar mein di. Brahmin ati prasann hua. Usne kabhi itna shaandaar pashu nahin rakha tha, aur usne bakri ko kandhon par uthaaya aur ghar ki ore chal pada, us punya ke swapna dekhte hue jo uski aahuti laayegi. Ab usi maarg par teen dhoort rehte the, aalsi aur chatur, jinhone uphaar dekha tha aur bakri ko apne bhojan hetu lalchaaya tha. Ve bal se use nahin le sakte the, kyonki brahmin balvaan tha aur maarg saarvajanik tha, isliye unhone beimaani jitni hi puraani chaal rachi. Ve alag hue aur brahmin ke maarg par teen alag-alag sthaanon par tainaat hue, pratyek vrikshon ke peechhe chhipa, apni baari ki prateeksha karta hua. Brahmin prasannata se chala, bakri uske kandhon par dheere mimiyaati hui, tabhi pehla dhoort bargad ke vriksh ke peechhe se nikla, nakli sammaan se haath jode, aur bola, he pavitra brahmin, aap kandhon par kutta kyon dho rahe hain? Kutta apavitra hai, aur aapke jaise vidvaan ka use chhoona lajja hai. Brahmin zor se hansa. Kya tum andhe ho, mitra, usne kaha. Yah kutta nahin, bakri hai, yagya hetu mujhe di gayi. Kya tumhein iski daadhi aur seeng nahin dikhte? Dhoort ne chidhaane waali muskaan se kandhe uchkaaye aur hat gaya, aur brahmin uski moorkhata par sir hilaata aur apni spasht drishti par swayam ko badhaai deta aage badha. Ek meal aage doosra dhoort peepal ke vriksh ke peechhe se nikla, brahmin ko bhay se ghoora, vishaad se apna sir pakda, aur chillaaya, he brahmin, yah kya vipatti hai? Aap kandhon par mara bachhda dho rahe hain, ek apavitra vastu jo aapke yagya ko nasht karegi! Kya aapki buddhi jaati rahi? Brahmin ne bhaunhein taanin. Yah bakri hai, usne dridhta se kaha, ek jeevit bakri. Kya aaj is maarg ke sabhi manushya paagal hain? Parantu jaise vah aage badha, uske man mein sandeh ka ek nanha beej pad chuka tha. Usne apne kandhon ke pashu par drishti daali. Vah nishchay hi bakri thi, apni daadhi, seengon aur khuron sahit, parantu do manushya anyatha kyon kahenge? Usne gati badhai, ghar pahunchne ko aatur. Tab gaanv ke dwaar ke paas, jahaan uske padosi use dekh sakte the, teesra dhoort nirbheekta se maarg mein aaya, ghrina se naak dhaanki, mukh ke saamne haath hilaaya, aur bola, he brahmin, jo gadha aap dho rahe hain use phenk deejiye! Uska sparsh aapko apavitra karega, aur samast gaanv dhobi ki tarah gadha dhote pujaari par hansega. Yah bahut tha. Teen manushya, teen alag pashu, aur unmein se ek ne bhi bakri nahin dekhi. Brahmin ka aatmavishvaas sookhi mitti ki tarah choor hua. Shaayad, usne socha, kisi dusht aatma ne is praani ko vash mein karke meri aankhon ko dhokha dene uska roop badal diya hai. Shaayad mera gyaan asafal hua hai. Kaanpte hue usne bakri ko maarg par rakha, usse apavitra vastu ki tarah peechhe hata, aur ghar ki ore dauda, bhay se kandhe ke oopar peechhe dekhta hua. Teenon dhoorton ko doosre nimantran ki aavashyakta na thi. Unhone parityakt bakri pakdi, apni jhonpdi le gaye, aur usi raat us par bhoj kiya, us saral manushya par hanste hue jise unhone moorkh banaaya tha. Brahmin khaali haath aur bhaari hriday ghar pahuncha, aur jab uski patni ne poochha ki yagya ki bakri kahaan hai, to usne use kutte, bachhde aur gadhe ki vichitra katha sunai, bhram se uski aavaaz kaanpti hui. Usne vishaad se suna, vidvaan manushyon ki moorkhata par sir hilaate hue, kyonki vah turant samajh gayi jo uska pati apne samast gyaan ke baavjood na samajh saka tha: ki anek swaron se dohraaya jhooth gyaani ko bhi apni aankhon par sandeh kara sakta hai. Yah katha ek paath padhaane sunai jaati hai jiski sansaar ko har din aavashyakta hai: ki satya asatya nahin hota kyonki anek log uska khandan karte hain, ki hamaara apna nirnay, jo hamne dekha aur jaana us par aadhaarit, chhaliyon ke samooh ke viruddh dridh rehna chaahiye, aur dhoorton ki chaturtam chaal hamaari sampatti churaana nahin, apitu swayam par hamaara vishvaas churaana hai.