**San 1600-1610 ke kisi ek varsh mein.
Sthan – Vikrampur.**
Yeh yuddh chaar dino se chala aa raha tha, parantu antatah is yuddh ka samaapan aaj ho hi gaya tha. Is bhishan yuddh mein asankhya sainik maare ja chuke the aur anginat ghaayal ho chuke the. Maano rakt ki nadiyaan beh rahi thi.
Is yuddh ko antatah Raja Ranvijay ne jeet liya. Yuddh ke samay Raja Ranvijay apne mahal mein hi the, parantu unhone apne do veer putron, Yuvaraj Harshvardhan aur Yuvaraj Vikramaditya, ko yuddhbhumi mein bheja tha.
Yuddh ab samaapt ho chuka tha. Yuvaraj Vikramaditya apni sena ki doosri tukdi ke saath kaafi peeche the. Us samay Yuvaraj Vikramaditya ki aayu bees varsh thi. Ve abhi itne bade yoddha nahi bane the, isiliye unke pita Raja Ranvijay ne unhe seedhe yuddh mein aage se ladne ke liye na bhejkar peeche rakha tha. Yuddh ke samaapan ke baad Yuvaraj Vikramaditya ko yeh prasannata hui ki ve antatah is yuddh ko jeet chuke hain, parantu unhe yeh dukh bhi tha ki itne saare sainikon ko apne pranon ki aahuti deni padi.
**Sainik 1 (anandit aur utsahit hote hue):**
"Yuvaraj! Yuvaraj! Jai ho... Jai ho... Hum yuddh jeet chuke hain, Yuvaraj!"
Yuvaraj Vikramaditya ne bhi apni sena ko is parakram ke liye abhinandan kiya.
**Yuvaraj Vikramaditya:**
"Haan, hamare bade bhai Harshvardhan saamne se lad rahe the, aur mujhe apne bhai par poora vishwas tha ki ve is yuddh ko jeetenge."
**Sainik 2:**
"Jai ho Yuvaraj Harshvardhan ki! Jai ho... Jai ho... Jai ho!"
Tabhi ek ghaayal sainik ghode par savaar atyant sheeghrata se unki or aaya.
Yuvaraj Vikramaditya ne dekha ki vo sainik atyant ghaayal avastha mein hai. Vo ek ghudsavaar tha, jise Yuvaraj Vikramaditya bhali-bhaanti jaante the. Vo sainik ab unke nikat aaya aur ghode se utar kar seedhe Yuvaraj Vikramaditya ke pairo mein gir pada aur zor-zor se rone laga.
**Ghudsavaar (rote hue):**
"Anarth ho gaya, Yuvaraj, anarth ho gaya!"
Yuvaraj Vikramaditya kuch samajh nahi sake. Ve to yuddh jeet chuke the, parantu yeh sainik aakhir kyon ro raha hai?
**Yuvaraj Vikramaditya (aashcharyachakit hokar):**
"Yeh aap kya keh rahe hain, yoddha? Hum is yuddh ko jeet chuke hain, hume Vijay praapt hui hai. Aap kis anarth ki baat kar rahe hain?"
**Ghudsavaar (dukhpoorvak):**
"Yuvaraj, yuddh ke antim samay mein hamare priy Yuvaraj Harshvardhan par us kayar Sultan ne peeth peeche se talwar se vaar kiya..."
Yeh sunte hi Yuvaraj Vikramaditya ke pairo tale se zameen khisak gayi. Apne priy bhai ke baare mein yeh sunkar unka hosh udd gaya. Unhe vishwas hi nahi ho raha tha ki aisa kuch ho sakta hai. Unka shareer ab kaanpane laga tha.
**Ghudsavaar:**
"Hamare sainik unhe lekar aa rahe hain. Humein sheeghra hi unhe kisi vaidya ke paas le jaana hoga. Unke paas samay kam hai."
Yuvaraj Vikramaditya ko ab kuch samajh nahi aa raha tha ki aakhir unhe kya karna chahiye. Unhone us ghudsavaar ka ghoda liya aur ve apne bhai ki or teevr gati se chal pade.
Jaate samay ve yahi prarthana kar rahe the ki unke bhai ko kuch na ho aur ve sukhruup rahe. Ve ab badi sheeghrata se aage badhne lage. Kuch doori ke baad unhe sainikon ki bheed dikhaai di, aur usi mein ek ghodagadi ke saath sainik unke bhai ko Vikrampur ki or lekar ja rahe the.
Yuvaraj Harshvardhan ne unhe apni or aate hue dekha aur apne sainikon se rukne ke liye kaha.
**Sainik 1 (vinamrata se):**
"Parantu Yuvaraj, aapko sheeghra hi vaidya ke paas le jaana ati aavashyak hai."
**Yuvraj Harshvardhan** - "Nahi, ruko, mujhe mere bhai se kuch kehna hai..."
Sainikon ne rath ko rok diya.
Yuvraj Vikramaditya ab rath ke samip gaye aur unhone dekha ki unke bade bhai rakt se lathpat the aur atyadhik peeda mein the. Ve turant unke paas gaye.
**Yuvraj Vikramaditya** - "Aap kyun ruke? Chaliye... agar hum vaidya ke paas nahi pahunche to..."
Harshvardhan ne unki baat kaatate hue kaha,
**Yuvraj Harshvardhan** - "Nahi, mere priya bhai... ruk jao."
**Yuvraj Vikramaditya** - "Parantu bhaiya..."
**Yuvraj Harshvardhan** - "Nahi, yadi main vaidya ke paas pahuncha bhi, to bhi main jeevit nahi rah sakta, mere bhai."
Harshvardhan ka sharir thanda pad chuka tha. Unke sharir mein bahut kam halchal thi. Ve apna sharir bhi theek se nahi utha paa rahe the. Parantu unhone kisi tarah se apna haath thoda upar uthaya.
Yuvraj Vikramaditya ne unka haath pakad liya aur rote hue bole - "Nahi bhaiya, aisa mat kahiye. Jab tak main hoon, main aapko kuch nahi hone doonga. Hume turant chalna hoga."
**Yuvraj Harshvardhan** - "Nahi, bhai... nahi... is tarah mat ro, tum ek yoddha ho, aur... yoddha ko is prakar nahi roona chahiye."
**Yuvraj Vikramaditya** - "Mujhe aapke saath hona chahiye tha... pitaji ne mujhe aapke saath hona chahiye tha."
**Yuvraj Harshvardhan** - "Koi baat nahi, mere bhai... jo hona tha, wo ho chuka hai. Ise ab swikar karo... mera ant nishchit hai."
Vikramaditya, rote hue - "Nahi bhaiya... yadi aap jaise mahan yoddha nahi rahe, to hamara rajya bikhar jayega."
Harshvardhan ne halke muskurate hue kaha - "Nahi bhai... ab wo mahan yoddha tum banoge, jinki aavashyakta Vikramapur rajya ko hai. Mujhe apne bhai par poorn vishwas hai. Tum nek hriday ke ho, aur aane wale samay mein tum is rajya ke raja banoge. Mujhe vishwas hai ki tum ek acche raja banoge aur apni praja ki seva karoge."
Harshvardhan ne apni aankhon se sainikon ko ishara kiya ki ve dur chale jayein.
Sainik ab dur khade yah drishya dekh rahe the. Yuvraj Vikramaditya ko samajh nahi aa raha tha ki unke bhai aisa kyun kar rahe hain.
**Yuvraj Harshvardhan** - "Meri baat dhyan se suno, shatru hamare beech hai. Main nahi jaanta ki wo kaun hai, parantu iska pata tumhe lagana hoga. Ho sakta hai wo hamara koi nikat ho. Jab use pehchaano, use kabhi mat chhodna. Hamare har yudh ki yojna shatru pehle se jaan leta tha."
**Yuvraj Vikramaditya** - "Jo aap kahen bhaiya, main use dhoondh ke khatam kar doonga."
**Yuvraj Harshvardhan** - "Sultan ko agar koi maar sakta hai to wo tum ho. Tumhe ab yuddh niti seekhni hogi. Mujhe vishwas hai ki tum ye kar loge. Varna, ye akramankari kabhi bhi hamare rajya par adhikaar kar lenge. Phir ve sabko maar denge ya daas bana lenge. Auraton ki izzat lootenge... mujhe vachan do bhai tum ye ladhai khud ladoge."
Ab Harshvardhan ki saansen tez ho chuki thi. Aisa lag raha tha jaise ve kisi bhi samay apna sharir tyaag denge.
**Yuvraj Vikramaditya** - "Haan bhaiya, main aapko vachan deta hoon."
**Yuvraj Harshvardhan** - "Hamari tarah mat banana. Mujhe pata hai tum hum sabse shreshth vyakti ho. Tum ek acche raja banoge."
Yuvraj Vikramaditya ki aankhon se ab bhi aansu beh rahe the.
**Yuvraj Harshvardhan** - "Vikram, mere bhai, ek raaz ki baat mujhe tumse kehni thi."
**Yuvraj Vikramaditya** - "Bataiye bhaiya."
**Yuvraj Harshvardhan** - "Main ek stri se prem karta hoon... bahut prem karta hoon... kaash is samay wo yahaan hoti."
Yuvraj Vikramaditya ko yeh sun kar aashcharya hua. Harshvardhan, jo keval yuddh, rajneeti, aur praja ke karyon mein ruchi rakhte the, prem ka naam sun kar Vikramaditya ko bhi thoda aachambha hua.
**Yuvraj Vikramaditya** - "Kaun hain wo bhaiya? Main abhi kisi sainik ko bhejta hoon unhe lane ke liye."
**Yuvraj Harshvardhan** - "Nahi, nahi. Mera wo prem ek paap hai. Main ise apne saath le jana nahi chahta. Isliye main tumhare samaksh iska prayaashchit kar raha hoon."
Harshvardhan ka sharir ab aur bhi kamjor ho chuka tha. Unki aankhein dheere-dheere band hone lagi.Vikramaditya samajh chuke the ki unke bhai ki mrityu ab nikat hai.
Yuvraj Harshvardhan - "Vikram, hamari maa ka dhyan rakhna... unhe bahut sneh dena... aur haan, unhe batana ki main marne se pehle unhe yaad..."
Harshvardhan ki aankhein ab band ho chuki thi. Unka hriday ab dhadakna band ho gaya tha. Unki mrityu ho chuki thi. Yuvraj Vikramaditya ab zor-zor se ro pade.
Yuvraj Vikramaditya - "Bhaiya..."
Vikramaditya ne unhe apne gale laga liya aur wo rote rahe. Unke senapati wahan aaye.
Senapati - "Yuvraj, hum sabhi ko inke jaane ka khed hai. Ve ek mahaan yoddha the, sirf ek utam purush hi nahi. Hume ab sammaan se unka antim sanskaar karna hoga."
Yuvraj Vikramaditya samajh gaye ki ab unhe apne rajya ki taraf lautna hoga. Sab rajya ki taraf lautne lage. Sampurn yatra mein Yuvraj Vikramaditya apne bhai ke shav ko hi dekhte rahe. Unhe ab bhi vishwas nahi ho raha tha ki jo hua wo vastavik tha. Ek taraf vijay ka ullas tha, to dusri taraf apne bade bhai ke chale jaane ka dukh. Aakhirkar, ve apne rajya pahunche.
Raja Ranvijay mahal ke bahar yuddh se lautne wale veeron ka swagat karne ke liye khade the. Kai striyan aarti ki thali lekar khadi thi. Jaise hi Yuvraj Vikramaditya apne rath se neeche utare, sabne un par phoolon ki varsha karne lagi. Sab log unka jai-jai kar rahe the।
Raja Ranvijay - "Putra, hum yuddh jeet chuke hain, parantu tumhare chehre par ye udasi kyun chhayi hui hai?"
Yuvraj Vikramaditya ne apne sainikon ki taraf dekha aur ishara kiya. Do sainik Harshvardhan ka shav rath se neeche laye.
Yuvraj Vikramaditya ka shav dekhte hi Raja Ranvijay unke pichhe rakhe hue sinhasan par baith gaye. Unhe vishwas nahi ho raha tha ki unka uttaradhikaar ab is duniya mein nahi raha.
Puri praja jo ab tak jai-jai kar rahi thi... wo sab ekdum se shaant ho gaye... Yuvraj Vikramaditya apne sir ko niche kiye abhi tak ro rahe the... har taraf ek sannata chhaya hua tha.
Tabhi Yuvraj ko paaylon ki aawaz sunai di... Rani Kadambari tezi se daudte hue unki taraf aa rahi thi...
Rani Kadambari ab apne bete ke paas aa gayi aur unke shav ko pakadkar rone lagi... unhone Yuvraj Vikramaditya ki taraf dekhte hue kaha,
Rani Kadambari - "Ye sab kaise hua Yuvraj... mera beta ab nahi raha..."
Wo kabhi logon ki taraf dekhti, kabhi sainikon ki, kabhi apne chote bete ki taraf dekh kar yahi sawal puch rahi thi ki aakhir koi bhi unhe kyun nahi bacha paaya...
Maa Rani Kadambari kai samay tak apne bete ke shav ko apni baahon mein lekar roti rahi... tabhi Raja Ranvijay unke paas aaye aur unhe ek dusre se alag kar diya...
Raja Ranvijay - (bhari aawaz mein) "Aap andar jaiye..."
Rani Kadambari bhale hi chahti thi ki wo apne putra ke saath apne antim kuch samay bitayein, lekin wo apne pati ke viruddh nahi jaa sakti thi. Kuch dasiyan aayi aur rani ko lekar mahal mein chali gayi...
Surya dheere-dheere ast ho raha tha, aur Vikramapur ki vadion mein ek gehra sannata chha gaya tha. Poore rajya ke log apni aankhon mein aansu aur dilon mein shok lekar Raja Ranvijay aur Yuvraj Vikramaditya ke peeche chal rahe the. Har taraf shok ki lehar thi. Yuvraj Harshwardhan ka shav ek bhavya palki mein rakha gaya tha, jise unke parama mitron aur sainikon ne apne kandhon par uthaya hua tha.
Shav yatra ka marg phoolon se saja hua tha. Rani Kadambari, jinki aankhon mein apaar dukh tha, apne bete ke shav ke paas bhi nahi ja sakti thi. Unka chehra aansuon se bhara hua tha, aur ve baar-baar apne bete ko pukar rahi thi, jaise ki vah lautkar aayega. Log unhe santona dene ki koshish kar rahe the, lekin unke liye yeh ek asambhav karya tha. Ye parampara sadiyon se chalti aa rahi thi. Ek Rajgharane ke purush ke antayatra mein striyaan kabhi nahi aa sakti thi. Unka maana ye tha ki veergati mardon ka vardan hai. Aise samay aurat ke aansu us veerta ko narm banate hain.
Rajmahal ke paas, jahan antim sanskar hona tha, ek vishal agni chita tayar ki gayi thi. Wahan Raja Ranvijay ne ek dukhi lekin garvit chehre ke saath upasthit hokar apne putra ko antim vidaai dene ka nirnay liya. Lekin jitna dukh bhai aur maa ko tha utna dukh unke yani Raja Ranvijay ke aankhon mein nahi tha. Unhone shanti aur samman ke saath chita ke chaaron or khade hokar prarthana ki, apni praja se kaha, “Mere veer putra Yuvraj Harshwardhan humare beech nahi hain, lekin unka sahas aur balidan hamesha hume prerit karega.”
Yuvraj Vikramaditya ne apne bade bhai ki chita ko dekhte hue siskiyaan bharti hui kaha, “Aap hamesha hamare dilon mein jeevit rahenge, bhai. Main vachan deta hoon ki aapke dvara dikhaye gaye maarg par chalunga aur hamare rajya ki raksha karunga. Aur ek din aap ki mrutyu ka badla main hi lunga.”
Phir, Raja Ranvijay ne chita ke agni ko prajwalit kiya. Agni ne Yuvraj Harshwardhan ke sharir ko apne aagosh mein le liya, aur uske saath-saath unki sabhi yaadein, unka sahas, aur unke dvara dikhaye gaye tyag ko bhi. Log aansu bahate hue, unke sahas ko yaad karte rahe. Agni ki laptain aasman ki or uthne lagi, jaise ki Yuvraj Harshwardhan swarg ki or udaan bhar rahe hon.
Parantu, is dukhad kshan mein bhi, log ekjut hokar unki veerta ka jashn manane ke liye tayyar the. Unhone apne dilon mein yeh sankalp liya ki ve Harshwardhan ki yaad ko sahejenge. Antim sanskar ke baad, log lautne lage.
Yeh antim sanskar na keval ek shok ka pal tha, balki yeh ek nayi shuruaat ki or bhi ishara kar raha tha, jismein Yuvraj Vikramaditya apne bhai ki virasat ko aage badhane ke liye tayyar the.
Antim sanskaar ke baad sab log apne ghar laute to Yuvraj Vikramaditya bhi apne raajmahal me vaapas laut aaye aur apne shayan kaksh ki taraf jaane lage... jaate waqt wo unki maa Rani Kadambari ke kaksh se guzarate hain... Wo dekhte hain ki unki maa aur unke saath kuch dasiyan baithi hui hain... us samay ka pratha anusaar aurate hamesha ghunghat me hi rahti thi... lekin Yuvraj Vikramaditya ko saaf saaf mahsus ho raha tha ki unki maa abhitak ro rahi hain... aur royengi kyun nahi... unhone apna bada beta kho diya tha. Wo apne maa se kuch baat nahi karte aur chupchaap andar apne aasan par jaakar baithate hain...
Ab wo aasan par baithe hue the. Unke man me vicharon ka manthan chal raha tha... kabhi kabhi unhe khud par nafrat hone lagi. Wo khudko kosne lage ki kaash us samay wo wahapar apne bhai ke saath hote to wo bacha paate. Lekin phir unke man me ye sawal aata ki unke bhai unse bade yoddha the lekin phir bhi wo khudko bacha nahi paaye. Nahi itne saare sainik aur mai to abhitak yuddh ko acchese janata bhi nahi hoon. Nahi mujhe koi khaas anubhav hai.
Apne bhai ke khone ka gham unhe is kadar ho raha tha ki wo kabhi khudko to kabhi kisi aur ko dosh de rahe the. Sultan ke prati unka krodh aur badle ki bhawana aur badh gayi... wo samjh gaye ki unke pass abhi ekmaatr paryay hai, wo hai ab zimmedari lena. Yuddh neeti, raj neeti, shastravidhya... in sab ke bina ye ladhai wo kabhi nahi jeet sakte... unhe apni maa, pita aur praja ke liye ab taiyyar hone ka samay aa chuka tha. Pratishodh ki jwala ab unme bhadak chuki thi.
Aur yahi shuru hota hai is kahani ke paatr hamare nayak hone wale RajKumar Yuvraj Vikramaditya ki kahani.
Agla bhaag jald hi......
