Makhan Chor

Gokul mein sab jaante the ki jab nanha Krishna aaspaas ho, to koi makkhan surakshit nahi. Morpankh waale shyaam baalak ki ek badi kamzori thi: maakhan, taaza safed makkhan — aur patthar pighla dene waali muskaan. Yashoda roz subah prem se use math-tin, lekin putra se use bachaana raat ke aakaash se chaand bachaane se kathin tha. Krishna makkhan bhookh se nahi churaate the. Ve churaate the kyunki unhe priya tha, kyunki mitron ko priya tha, aur kyunki poora gaanv unhe aisa karte dekhna pasand karta tha. Ve makkhan-chhaapon par gwaalon ki toli ka netritva karte — jo prasiddh ho gaye. Ve un gharon ko khojte jahaan gopiyaan makkhan ki haandiyaan chhat se oonchi latkaatin, pahunch se baahar. Krishna ladkon ko maanav-pyramid mein jamaate, swayam shikhar par chadhte, aur khushi se haandi phod dete — neeche sab par makkhan barsaate. Kabhi ve haandiyaan giraane ke liye lambi laathi laate. Kabhi gaanv ke bandaron ko bhoj mein shaamil karte, apne haathon se unhe makkhan khilaate, jabki gopiyaan krodh ka naatak kartin aur chupke se hanstin. Gopiyaan roz Yashoda se shikaayat kartin. Ve kehtin, tumhaara putra hamaara makkhan churaata hai. Woh bandaron ko khilaata hai, hamaari haandiyaan phodta hai, aur us maasoom chehre se sab nakaar deta hai. Yashoda Krishna ko daant-tin, aur ve chaudi, aansu-bhari aankhon se unhe dekhte, aur unka krodh dhoop mein makkhan se tez pighal jaata. Lekin ek din unhone nishchay kiya ki unhe sabak sikhaana chahiye. Unhone makkhan ki haandi pehle se oonchi latkaayi aur pehra baithaaya. Krishna ne, beshak, raasta khoj liya. Gopiyon ki shikaayatein badhin, aur ek subah Yashoda ne unhe range haath pakad liya — munh makkhan se sana, mitra bikhre hue. Us din Yashoda ka dhairya toot gaya. Unhone laathi uthaayi aur ghar ke chaaron or unka peechha kiya. Krishna daude — ek saath hanste aur rote hue — aur Yashoda, jo hawa ko kabhi na pakad paatin, aashcharya se unhe pakad baithin. Unhone dand ke roop mein unhe lakdi ki okhli se baandhne ka nishchay kiya. Ve rassi laayin, lekin rassi do ungal chhoti padi. Unhone doosri rassi jodi, phir bhi theek do ungal chhoti. Unhone poore ghar se rassiyaan laakar jodin, lekin har baar rassi do ungal chhoti padti. Yashoda ek saath paseena-paseena, hansti aur roti rahin. Rishi kehte hain ki do ungal un do cheezon ka prateek hain jo Ishwar ko baandhne ke liye chahiye: apna prayaas aur Ishwar ki kripa. Keval prayaas hamesha chhota padega. Ant mein, maata ki prem-bhari thakaan dekhkar Krishna ne swayam bandhna sweekaar kiya. Yashoda ne unhe okhli se baandha aur bheetar chali gayin — sharaarat par vichaar karne ki chetaavni dekar. Lekin okhli se bandhe Krishna rengne lage, use peechhe ghaseet-te hue jaise bachhda hal ghaseet-ta hai. Ve aangan mein saath khade do oonche arjun pedon ki or renge. Okhli unke beech phans gayi, aur jaise hi Krishna ne kheencha, mahaan vriksha garjan ke saath gir pade. Gire pedon se do deeptimaan divya purush nikle — Nalkuber aur Manigriv, Kuber ke putra. Rishi Narad ne unke ahankaar ke liye unhe vriksha banne ka shaap diya tha, aur vachan diya tha ki swayam Krishna unhe mukt karenge. Okhli se bandhe nanhe baalak ko pranaam karke unhone dhanyavaad diya aur swarg chale gaye. Aawaaz sunkar Yashoda daudi aayin aur putra ko gire pedon ke beech akshat baitha paaya — abhi bhi okhli se bandhe, aise muskuraate jaise kuchh hua hi na ho. Unhone unhe khola aur kaskar gale lagaaya — hriday aashcharya aur prem se bhara. Makhan Chor ki katha isliye priya hai kyunki yeh Ishwar ko door ke raja ke roop mein nahi, sharaarati baalak ke roop mein dikhaati hai — jo makkhan churaata hai, haandiyaan phodta hai, aur maata ke prem se bandhna sweekaar karta hai. Yeh sikhaati hai ki prem har baadha se raasta khoj leta hai: koi rassi, koi oonchi latki haandi, koi dand use nahi baandh sakta jo keval prem se bandhta hai. Aur yeh sikhaati hai ki sharaarat bhi, jab divya sparsh paaye, bandhakon ko mukt kar sakti hai — jaise do shaapit aatmaon ko makkhan-chor ki rengan se mukti mili.

Braj ka maakhan-chor har Bhaaratiya ghar mein priya hai — aur uski sharaarat divya ki kreedaasheelta-roop mein manaayi jaati hai. Janmashtami par bachche uski maakhan-chori ka abhinay karte hain — aur maataayein muskuraati hain — Yashoda ka smaran karti. Sant kehte hain ki Krishna maakhan churaate hain kyunki maakhan ghar ki sabse komal, sabse meethi cheez hai — jaise bhakt ka hriday sansaar ki sabse komal, sabse meethi cheez hai. Woh keval unse churaata hai jo usse prem karte hain — kyunki prem hi ekmaatra taala hai jise uski sharaarat khol sakti hai.