Vritra aur Indra ka Vajra: Tyaag ka Vajra

Ati praacheen kaal mein, jab sansaar yuva tha, ek daanav utha jisne samast srishti ko sankat mein daala. Uska naam Vritra tha, ek vishaal sarp-daitya, Tvastar ka putra, jo divya shilpakaar hain. Tvastar ne use shok aur krodh mein gadha tha, kyonki Indra ne pehle Tvastar ke anya putra, trisheersh Vishvarupa ka vadh kiya tha, aur pita ka shok pratishodh ki iccha mein badal gaya tha jisne is sansaar-bhakshi sarp ka roop liya. Vritra ne apne vishaal shareer ko parvaton ke chaaron or lapeta aur apni kundaliyon mein brahmaandiya jal rok liya, jisse na varsha hoti, na nadiyaan behtin. Prithvi shushka hui, faslein murjhaain, pashu-pakshi vyaakul hue, aur samast praani pyaas se cheetkaar uthe. Devgan, swarg ke deeptimaan devta, gahan vishaad se dekhte rahe, kyonki ve shaktishaali hote hue bhi sarp ki pakad na tod sake. Ve apne raja Indra ke paas gaye, jo toofaanon ke swaami hain, aur unse daanav ka vadh karke jal mukta karne ki yaachana ki. Parantu Indra ke saamne bhayaanak samasya thi. Vritra koi saadhaaran shatru na tha. Uske shalka lohe se kathor the, uski kundaliyaan parvaton se balvaan, aur swarg ka koi astra uski khaal na bhed sakta tha. Devon ne gambheer mantrana ki, aur ant mein unhein ekmaatra uttar mila, yadyapi vah atyant dukhad tha. Prithvi par Dadhichi naam ke maharshi rehte the, aise pavitra aur aadhyaatmik shakti waale rishi ki unki asthiyaan hi divya oorja se bhari thin. Devon ne jaana ki Dadhichi ki asthiyon se gadha astra atoot hoga, ek Vajra jo Vritra ko bhi choor kar sake. Atah dev Dadhichi ke paas gaye aur unhein sansaar ke sankat ki katha sunaakar vah mahaantam uphaar maanga jo koi praani de sakta hai: unka apna jeevan, taaki unki asthiyaan sansaar ki mukti ka astra banein. Dadhichi ek kshan bhi na hichke. Ve aise rishi the jinhone shareer ka samast moh jeet liya tha, aur ve samajhte the ki sabke kalyaan hetu swatantrata se diya jeevan nasht nahin hota, apitu mahimaamandit hota hai. Shaant muskaan sahit unhone dhyaan mein jeevan tyaag diya, aur unki deeptimaan asthiyon se swayam Tvastar ne, yadyapi ve Vritra ke apne pita the, Vajra gadha, kyonki Tvastar bhi apne daanavi putra ke prem se oopar brahmaandiya vyavastha ki seva karte the. Vajra alaukik agni se damka, uski dhaarein satya jaisi teekshna, rishi ki nihswaarth shakti se goonjta hua. Is divya astra se sajjit hokar Indra apne mahaan shvet haathi Airavata par yuddh hetu nikle, toofaani megh unke chaaron or ghire. Indra aur Vritra ka yuddh teenon lokon ko hila gaya. Vritra ne apni mahaakundaliyon se bheeshan prahaar kiya aur ghor andhkaar foonka, parantu Indra dridh rahe, aur nirnaayak kshan mein unhone poorn shakti se Vajra phenka. Vajra Vritra ke mastak par laga aur use choor kar diya, aur sarp ki kundaliyaan dheeli huin. Ruka jal mahimaamayi baadh mein foot pada, varsha hui, nadiyaan samudra ko daudin, aur prithvi ne piya aur punarjeevit hui. Devon ne Indra par phool barsaaye aur Vritrahaa, jal ke muktidaata ke roop mein unki stuti gaai. Jab yuddh samaapt hua aur jal swatantra bahe, to dev harshit hue, parantu swayam Indra harshit na ho sake. Parantu vijay ka bhaari moolya tha. Vritra, yadyapi daanav tha, Tvastar ka putra tha, ek divya praani, aur uska vadh braahman-hatya gina gaya, Brahmahatya ka paap. Paap Indra ka chhaaya jaisa peechha karta raha, aur apne aparaadhbodh aur bhay mein ve bhaage aur chhip gaye, swarg mein apna sinhaasan tyaagkar. Kuch samay dev raja viheen rahe, jab tak martya raja Nahusha Indra ke aasan par bithaaye gaye, jiski katha anyatra kahi gayi hai. Indra pashchaataap mein bhatakte rahe, chhipte phire, jab tak kathor tapasya aur mahaan Ashvamedha yagya ke anushthaan se ve ant mein paap se shuddh na hue aur devon ne unhein punah sinhaasan par bithaaya. Vritra aur Vajra ki katha sansaar ki praacheentam kathaon mein hai, Rigveda ke sookton mein gaayi gayi. Yah sikhaati hai ki mahaantam astra mahaantam tyaagon se gadhe jaate hain, ki Dadhichi ka apni asthiyon ka swechha uphaar kisi sena se shaktishaali tha, ki devon ke raja ko bhi apne karmon ka uttar dena padta hai, aur jeevan ka jal, ek baar saahas aur tyaag se mukta hokar, bhedbhaav bina samast praaniyon hetu behta hai.