Vikram aur Betal

Ujjain nagari mein kabhi Vikramaditya naam ka ek raja raajya karta tha, jo apne saahas, nyaay aur atal vachan ke liye samast desh mein prasiddh tha. Har raat vah vesh badalkar apni nagari ki galiyon mein ghoomta taaki apni aankhon se dekh sake ki uski praja surakshit aur sukhi hai ya nahin. Ek raat shmashaan se guzarte hue uski bhent ek vichitra bhikshu se hui, jataadhaari aur bhasma-lipt angon waala ek saadhu, jo jalti chita ke paas khada tha. Bhikshu ne nat hokar kaha ki vah alaukik shaktiyaan paane ke liye ek mahaan anushthaan kar raha hai, aur uski poornata ke liye use raja ki sahaayata chaahiye. Shmashaan ke us paar, usne kaha, ek vishaal sheesham vriksh se ek mrit manushya ka shareer latak raha hai. Raja ko use kaatkar apne kandhon par anushthaan-bhoomi tak laana hoga, aur yah sab poorn maun mein karna hoga, kyonki yadi usne ek bhi shabd bola, to shav vriksh par laut jaayega. Vikramaditya, jo kabhi kisi yaachak ko nahin thukraate the, turant sahmat hue. Ve vishaal vriksh tak gaye, latakte shav ko kaata, use kandhon par uthaaya, aur andhakaar mein lambi vaapasi aarambh ki. Parantu vah shav koi saadhaaran shav na tha. Usmein Betaal nivaas karta tha, ek sharaarti pishaach-aatma, praacheen aur chatur, jise buddhi-yuddh se badhkar kuch priya na tha. Jab raja maun chale, to Betaal uphaas bhare swar mein bola: he raajan, yah maarg lamba hai aur raat andheri. Samay bitaane ke liye main tumhein ek katha sunaata hoon, aur ant mein ek prashna poochhoonga. Yadi tum uttar jaante ho aur maun rahe, to tumhaara sir sau tukdon mein phat jaayega. Yadi uttar na jaante ho, to maun reh sakte ho. Aur is prakaar har pag ke saath Betaal katha sunaata, raajaon aur premiyon ki, paheliyon aur naitik uljhanon ki kathaayein, pratyek pichhli se adhik gunthi hui. Aur har katha aise prashna par samaapt hoti jo raja ki buddhi aur nyaay-bodh ki pareeksha leta. Har baar Vikramaditya paate ki ve uttar jaante hain, aur sammaan unhein satya poochhe jaane par maun rehne nahin deta. Tab ve uttar bolte, aur jaise hi shabd unke honthon se nikalte, Betaal hansta aur vriksh par ud jaata, raja ko vaapas chalne, shav ko phir kaatne aur naye sire se aarambh karne ke liye chhodkar. Chaubees baar aisa hua. Chaubees kathaayein sunai gayin, chaubees prashnon ke uttar diye gaye, aur chaubees baar raja shmashaan se maun aur bina shikaayat laute, unka sankalp atoot. Pachchisvin raat Betaal ne apni antim aur sabse chatur katha sunai, aur apna antim prashna poochha. Vikramaditya ne uska bhi uttar diya, aur Betaal ek baar phir vriksh par ud gaya. Parantu is baar jab raja ne shav ko phir kaata aur kandhon par uthaaya, to Betaal ka uphaas bhara swar gaayab tha. Aatma ne sacche sammaan se baat ki aur satya prakat kiya: bhikshu koi saadhu nahin, apitu ek dusht jaadoogar tha. Uska anushthaan poornata par swayam raja ki bali dene aur uska sinhaasan va shaktiyaan hadapne ke liye racha gaya tha. Betaal ne Vikramaditya ko chetaaya ki jab ve anushthaan-bhoomi pahunchenge, to bhikshu raja se devi ke saamne dandvat karne ko kahega, aur jhukne ke usi kshan jaadoogar unka sir kaat dega. Aatma ne raja ko paraamarsh diya ki ve uttar dein ki ve, ek raja hokar, dandvat ki vidhi nahin jaante, aur bhikshu se pehle pradarshan karne ko kahein. Vikramaditya ne aatma ko dhanyavaad diya aur aage badhe. Anushthaan-bhoomi mein sab kuch theek vaisa hi hua jaisa Betaal ne bataaya tha. Bhikshu ne apne mantra poorn kiye aur raja se devi ke saamne jhukne ko kaha. Raja ne vinamra shabdon mein uttar diya ki ve pranaam ki vidhi nahin jaante aur saadhu se pradarshan ki bheekh maangi. Jaadoogar, apne shikaar ke liye aatur, pradarshan hetu jhuka, aur usi kshan Vikramaditya ne talvaar kheenchi aur jaadoogar ka sir kaatkar devi ko arpit kar diya. Devi raja ke saahas aur buddhi se prasann huin aur unhein vardaan diya, aur apni lambi seva se mukt Betaal ne aage se raja ki seva ka prastaav rakha. Aaj bhi Vikram aur Betaal ki pachchis kathaayein samast Bharat mein sunai jaati hain, pratyek buddhi aur gyaan ka ratna, sunne waalon ko smaran karaati huin ki buddhi rahit saahas andha hai, saahas rahit buddhi asahaay hai, aur dono milkar kisi bhi jaadu ko hara sakte hain.