Gopal Bhar Ginte Hain Kaue

Bangaal ke Nadiya raajya mein Krishnachandra naam ka ek raja raajya karta tha jise buddhi-yuddh se badhkar kuch priya na tha. Uska darbaar vidvaanon aur kaviyon se bhara tha, parantu unmein sabse ujjval taara uska vidooshak Gopal Bhar tha, janm se naai aur svabhaav se pratibhaashaali. Gopal ki buddhi itni teekhi thi ki raja use bulaaye bina ek din bhi nahin bita sakte the, aur darbaari, yadyapi praayah uske chutkulon ke lakshya hote aur usse chidhte bhi, use prem kiye bina na reh sakte. Ek sundar praatah raja aur Gopal mehal ke udyaanon mein tehal rahe the, sheetal vaayu aur pakshiyon ke geeton ka aanand lete hue. Kauon ka ek jhund aam ke vrikshon ke oopar kaanv-kaanv karta mandra raha tha, pake phalon par jhagadta hua. Raja ne unhein kuch der dekha, aur tab ek sharaarti vichaar unke man mein aaya. Unhone aankhon mein sharaarti chamak liye Gopal ki ore mudkar kaha, Gopal, tum sab kuch jaanne ka daava karte ho. Batao, mere raajya mein kitne kaue hain? Peechhe chal rahe darbaari saans roke rahe, kyonki yah nishchay hi asambhav prashna tha. Koi manushya poore raajya ke kaue nahin gin sakta tha. Unhein aasha thi ki Gopal haklaayega aur daya ki bheekh maangega. Parantu Gopal Bhar ne palak tak na jhapkaai. Usne aakaash mein mandraate kauon ko dekha, vichaarmagna thodi sehlaai, aur spasht, aatmavishvaasi swar mein ghoshna ki, Maharaj, aapke raajya mein theek baavan hazaar chaar sau athaarah kaue hain, maine swayam gine hain. Na ek adhik, na ek kam. Raja ne aashcharya se use ghoora. Tum itne nishchint kaise ho sakte ho, Gopal, unhone poochha. Kya tumne un sabhi ko gina hai? Gopal ne neeche jhukkar uttar diya, Maharaj, maine unhein aankhon se nahin gina, parantu buddhi se gina hai. Apne sainikon ko har gaanv aur har nagar bhejie, aur unhein ginne deejiye. Yadi ve meri sankhya se adhik kaue paayein, to aap jaanenge ki padosi raajyon ke kaue yahaan apne sambandhiyon se milne aaye hain. Aur yadi kam paayein, to aap jaanenge ki hamaare kuch kaue anya raajyon mein apne sambandhiyon se milne gaye hain. Parantu meri sankhya aapke raajya ke kauon ki sacchi sankhya hai. Raja hansi se phoot pade, aur darbaari bhi hanse, us uttar par chakit jo itna chatur tha ki kabhi galat siddh nahin ho sakta tha. Parantu raja ne apne vidooshak ki pareeksha samaapt na ki. Kuch dinon baad unhone Gopal ko darbaar mein bulaaya aur kaha, Gopal, kal tumne mere kaue gine. Aaj kuch kathin batao. Aakaash mein kitne taare hain? Darbaari phir muskuraaye, nishchint ki is baar Gopal paraajit hoga, kyonki taare kaun gin sakta hai? Gopal ne darbaar-kaksh ki chhat ko dekha, ungliyon par ginne ka naatak kiya, aur kaha, Maharaj, aakaash mein theek utne hi taare hain jitne ek bakre ke shareer par baal hote hain. Yadi aapko vishvaas na ho, to ek bakra pakdiye, uske baal ginie, phir taare ginie, aur aap paayenge ki main sahi hoon. Darbaar hansi se goonj utha, aur raja ne bhi hanste-hanste aankhon se aansu ponchhe. Tab raja ne teesra prashna poochha, sabse kathin. Gopal, unhone kaha, batao, prithvi ka kendra kahaan hai? Gopal ek kshan bhi na hichke. Unhone apni laathi sinhaasan ke saamne dharti mein mazbooti se gaadi aur ghoshna ki, Maharaj, prithvi ka kendra theek yahin hai, jahaan meri laathi khadi hai. Yadi aapko sandeh ho, to har disha mein prithvi naapie aur mujhe galat siddh keejiye. Raja ne atyant aanand se taali bajaai aur apne priya vidooshak ko gale lagaaya, ghoshna karte hue ki sansaar ke kisi darbaar mein unke Gopal Bhar jaisa buddhimaan moorkh nahin hai. Darbaari, jinhone Gopal ko vinamra hote dekhne ki aasha ki thi, uski pratibha ke saamne jhuk gaye. Aur Gopal ne apni svaabhaavik vinamrata se haath jodkar keval itna kaha ki asambhav prashnon ka uttar dene ka rahasya atyant saral hai: aisa uttar do jo chatur, aatmavishvaasi aur akhandaneeya ho, aur prashna swayam samarpan kar dega. Aaj bhi jab kisi Bangaali ke saamne anuttarit prashna aata hai, to vah muskuraata hai aur Gopal Bhar ko smaran karta hai, us naai-vidooshak ko jisne ek raajya ke kaue, aakaash ke taare aur prithvi ka kendra gina, aur kabhi ek baar bhi galat siddh na hua.