Syamantak Mani aur Jhootha Aarop

Dwarka mein Satrajit naamak ek Yadav sardaar rehta tha, Soorya dev ka bhakt upaasak. Uski upaasna se prasann hokar Soorya uske saamne prakat hue aur use ek chamatkaar diya — Syamantak mani, doosra Soorya jaisi damakti mani. Jahaan uski vidhivat pooja hoti, shaastra kehte hain, vahaan akaal na padta, akaal mrityu na hoti, koi vipatti na aati, sarpadansh na hota, chor na hote — aur har din vah aath bhaar shuddh swarn deti.

Jab Satrajit mani pehenkar Dwarka mein pravesh kiya, to uski deepti itni chakaachaundh thi ki log use swayam Soorya dev samjhe. Krishna ne mani ki shakti aur uske swaami ka lobh dono dekhkar Satrajit se kaha ki vah use Yadavon ke mukhiya raja Ugrasen ko samast kalyaan ke liye de de. Satrajit, jiska hriday pehle se hi mani ka daas tha, inkaar kar diya — vinamrata se, par spasht. Iske bajaay usne use apne bhaai Prasen ke gale mein pehna diya, jo use saamaanya aabhooshan ki tarah har jagah pehenta tha.

Ek din Prasen mani ko chhaati par damkaate hue shikaar ko nikla. Van mein ek paraakrami sinh ne us par aakraman kiya, use aur uske ghode ko maar daala, aur mani ko jabadon mein lekar chal diya. Par sinh apne puraskaar ka aanand adhik samay na le saka. Jaambvaan, pracheen reechh-raja — vahi buddhimaan mantri jinhone Ravan ke viruddh yuddh mein Ram ki seva ki thi, aur yugon tak jeene wale amaron mein se ek — sinh par toot pade, use maar daala, aur mani ko apne parvatiya gufa mein le gaye, jahaan unhone use apne shishu bachche ko khelne ke liye de diya.

Jab Prasen na lauta, to Dwarka mein sandeh panpa. Satrajit, jo jaanta tha ki Krishna ne mani ko kitna chaaha tha, phusphusaane laga ki Krishna ne hi Prasen ki hatya ki hogi aur mani churaai hogi. Phusphusaahat afvaah bani, aur afvaah nagar ki charcha bani: Dwarka ke prabhu, hatyaara aur chor.

Krishna ne ninda suni aur use samaapt karne ka nishchay kiya — shabdon se nahin, pramaan se. Naagarikon ka dal saath lekar unhone Prasen ke padchihnon ka van mein anusaran kiya. Vahaan unhein Prasen aur uske ghode ke shav mile, sinh dwara cheer-phaad kiye gaye, pashu ke toote daant aur naakhun bikhre hue. Sinh ke padchihnon ka anusaran karte hue ve sinh ke apne shav par pahunche, jo aur bhi paraakrami panjon se maara gaya tha. Phir ve bhaalu ke padchihnon par chalkar ek vishaal parvatiya gufa ke mukh par pahunche. Krishna ne naagarikon ko baahar thahraaya aur andhakaar mein akele pravesh kiya.

Bheetar, mani ke apne prakaash mein, unhone Jaambvaan ke nanhe bachche ko damakti mani ko khilaune ki tarah ludhkaate dekha. Jaise hi Krishna nikat aaye, bachche ki dhaay bhay se cheekhi — aur Jaambvaan dhaava bolte aaye, yah na jaante hue ki yah ghuspaithiya kaun tha. Jo hua vah kivadanti hai: dono atthaaees dinon tak bina vishraam bhide rahe, mukkon aur naakhunon aur daanton se, ukhde vrikshon aur choor chattaanon se, koi na jhuka. Ant mein Jaambvaan, apne yug ke sabse balwaan praani, ne apni shakti ghatti anubhav ki aur samjha: koi martya itne samay tak unka saamna na kar sakta tha. "Tum manushya nahin ho," ve haanfe. "Tum mere prabhu ho — swayam Ram, phir se aaye hue." Ve Krishna ke charanon mein gire, apne swaami par haath uthaane ke liye kshama maangi, aur mani ke saath apni sundar putri Jaambvati ka haath arpit kiya.

Krishna mani lekar Dwarka laute aur use poorn sabha ke saamne rakha, aur jhootha aarop kuhaase ki tarah chhant gaya. Satrajit, lajja se jalte hue, Krishna se kshama maanga aur unhein mani aur apni putri Satyabhama ka haath dono arpit kiye. Krishna ne Satyabhama sveekaar keen par mani Satrajit ko lauta di, kyunki unhone mani kabhi chaahi na thi — keval satya chaaha tha.

Mani ki katha yahin samaapt na hui. Baad mein lobh se andhe Yadav Shatadhanva ne sote Satrajit ki hatya kar di aur Syamantak chura liya, aur kathor peechha karne ke baad mani Akroor ki rakhvaali mein gayi. Par mani ki shiksha uske bhatkaav se pare jeevit hai: jhooth, chaahe kitne zor se dohraaya jaaye, us vyakti ke saamne nahin tik sakta jo andhakaar mein padchihnon ka anusaran karke prakaash vaapas laane ko taiyaar ho.