Raja Harishchandra — Truth at Any Price

Kehte hain — satya bolna aasaan hai, satya par jeena mushkil. Ayodhya ke Suryavanshi Raja Harishchandra ne satya par jeene ki aisi keemat chukaayi, jise sun kar aaj bhi kaleja kaanp jaata hai.

Harishchandra ka naam hi satya ka paryaay tha. Kehte the — unke raajya mein koi jhooth nahi bolta tha, kyunki raja swayam kabhi jhooth nahi bolte the. Unki patni thin Shaibya — pativrata, samajhdaar. Beta tha Rohitashva — nanha, pyaara. Sukh ka sansaar tha — tabhi to devtaon ko rashk hua.

Swarg mein Indra ki sabha mein charcha chhidi — kya dharti par koi aisa hai jo har haal mein satya par atal rahe? Rishi Vishvamitra ne chunauti sweekaar ki — 'Main Harishchandra ki pariksha loonga.' Vaise Vishvamitra aur Vashishtha mein puraani thanni thi — aur Vashishtha Harishchandra ke kul-guru the. Yeh pariksha sirf raja ki nahi thi — do rishiyon ke ahankaar ki bhi thi.

Ek raat Vishvamitra Harishchandra ke sapne mein aaye — yagya ke liye daan maanga. Raja ne sapne mein hi vachan de diya. Subah Vishvamitra swayam dwar par khade the — 'Raja, sapne ka vachan bhi vachan hota hai. Apna poora raajya daan mein do.' Harishchandra ne ek pal nahi socha. Rajya, khazaana, mahal — sab de diya. Bas tan ke kapde rakhe — apne liye, patni ke liye, bete ke liye.

Lekin Vishvamitra ne dakshina bhi maangi — ek hazaar swarn-mudraayein. 'Dakshina ke bina daan adhoora,' unhone kaha. Raja khaali haath the. Patni-bete ko lekar Kashi ki taraf chal diye — dharm ki nagri mein shayad koi upaay mile. Vishvamitra peeche-peechhe aaye — har padaav par ek hi sawaal: 'Dakshina?'

Kashi mein raja ne apni patni Shaibya aur bete Rohitashva ko ek brahmin ke haathon bech diya. Jo mudraayein mili, woh dakshina mein kam padi. Tab Harishchandra ne swayam ko bech diya — shamshaan ke rakhwaale, chandaal Veerabahu ke haathon. Ab Ayodhya ka raja Manikarnika ghaat par murde jalaata tha — aur har daah ke badle kaudi-kaudi gin kar maalik ko deta tha.

Din kaise kat-te the — sochiye. Jo haath kabhi swarn-mudraayein baant-te the, ve ab chitaaon ki raakh samet-te the. Jo raja kabhi haathi par nikalta tha, woh ab arthi ke peeche chalta tha. Raat ko chitaaon ke beech sota — aur sapne mein mahal dekhta. Lekin ek cheez nahi badli — zubaan. Jo kehta, wahi karta.

Vishvamitra ki pariksha yahin khatm nahi hui. Ek din unhone Harishchandra ko daanta — 'Dakshina abhi baaki hai!' Raja ne kaha — 'Mera shareer haazir hai — kaat kar le lo.' Tabhi devtaon ne beech mein aakar unhe rok diya. Kehte hain, satya ki pariksha mein devta bhi seema dekhte hain — lekin Vishvamitra seema nahi jaante the.

Swarg mein devta yeh leela dekh rahe the. Indra ne kaha — 'Bas karo, Vishvamitra! Itna kathor parikshan kisi ne nahi diya.' Lekin Vishvamitra atal the — 'Jab tak woh apni patni ke shav par bhi kar na maange, pariksha poori nahi hogi.'

Sochiye — ek raja, jo kabhi praja ko daan deta tha, aaj shamshaan mein kaudi gin raha hai. Lekin uske chehre par shikayat nahi thi. Jab koi poochta — 'Raja, dukh nahi hota?' — woh kehte — 'Satya ka sauda kabhi ghaate ka nahi hota.'

Shaibya brahmin ke ghar sevika bani — bartan maanjti, jhaadu lagaati. Nanha Rohitashva roz subah pooja ke phool todne jaata. Ek din phool todte-todte use saanp ne das liya. Shaam tak bacche ka shareer thanda pad gaya. Raat ke andhere mein Shaibya apne bete ka shav god mein lekar shamshaan pahunchi — wahi shamshaan, jahan uska pati daah-kar vasoolta tha.

Harishchandra ne patni ko pehchaana. Dil cheer gaya — lekin zubaan satya par atal rahi. 'Bina kar chukaaye daah nahi hoga,' usne kaha. Shaibya ke paas kuch nahi tha — sirf aadhi saadi. Usne saadi phaad kar aadha hissa kar ke roop mein badha diya. Bete ki chita sajne lagi — aur usi pal aakaash mein dev-dundubhi baj uthi.

Vishvamitra prakat hue. Unki aankhon mein aansu the — 'Raja, pariksha poori hui. Tumne satya ke liye sab kuch de diya — aur phir bhi satya nahi chhoda. Main haara, tum jeete.' Devtaon ne phool barsaaye. Rohitashva jee utha — maa ki god mein aankhein kholi. Harishchandra ko sashareer swarg ka adhikaar mila — patni aur putr sahit, poore sammaan ke saath.

Aaj bhi gaon-gaon mein 'Satya Harishchandra' ki nautanki hoti hai. Bachche sunte hain — aur seekhte hain ki satya ki raah kathin zaroor hai, lekin uska ant ujla hota hai.