Maa Ka Woh Aakhri Sabaq

 Us raat beta thoda nahi… andar se poora tut chuka tha.

Uski aankhon mein woh thakaan thi jo sirf bojh uthane walon ki hoti hai…
Woh bojh jo dil ke andar chup kar insaan ko kha jaata hai.

Woh bolta jaa raha tha:

“Ammi, main kitni koshish karun?
Har baar kuch na kuch galat ho jaata hai.
Shayad main kismat ka laada hi nahi.”

Maa chup kar uski baatein sunti rahi.
Unki aankhon mein woh dard tha… jo sirf maa ko hota hai jab apna bachcha khud ko kam samajhne lagta hai.

Phir maa ne uska haath pakra,
Aur ek aisi baat kahi jo zindagi bhar uske kaan mein gunjti rahi:

“Beta… duniya mein sabse badi haar tab hoti hai…
jab insaan apni keemat khud kam karke de deta hai.”

Beta ruk gaya.
Dil ek pal ko tham gaya.

Maa ne aansoo rokte hue kaha:

“Tum girte ho, kyunki tum chal rahe ho.
Girne se farq nahi padta,
Rukne se padta hai.”

Phir maa ne ek purani kahani sunai —
Woh kahani jo unhone bachpan mein apni maa se suni thi:

“Ek baar ek bachcha samandar ke kinare baitha rota tha…
Uski kashti doob gayi thi.
Log keh rahe the sab khatam.
Par usne kaha:
‘Khatam tab hota hai jab main dobara kashti banana chhod doon.’”

Maa ne betay ke haath ko zor se pakar kar kaha:

“Zindagi kashtiyan duboti rehti hai,
Par jeet unki hoti hai jo dobara kashti banana seekh lete hain.”

Beta aansoo poochhta raha…
Aur maa uske baalon mein haath pher kar keh rahi thi:

“Beta, tumhari himmat tumhari pehchaan hogi…
Aur tumhari success tumhari sabse behtareen awaaz hogi.
Bas ek wada karo…
Haar ko kabhi aakhri faisla mat banne dena.”

Us raat, pehli baar…
Uske dil se awaaz aayi:

“Main kar sakta hoon.
Main karunga.
Aur duniya dekhay gi.”

Subah jab wo utha,
Uska chehra badla hua nahi… lekin andar ka insaan badal chuka tha.
Aankhon mein spark,
Dil mein daring,
Aur kadmon mein woh dum tha jo haar ko bhi hila de.

Woh nikal pada —
Zindagi ki taraf nahi…

Apne nayi janam ki taraf.

Aur yeh sab…
Us maa ke ek waqt par bole gaye alfaaz se hua:

“Jab tak tum khud ko nahi maante…
duniya tumhein nahi maane gi.”