saagar ke kinaare
ham seepiyaan-patthar batorate rahe,
saagar unhen baar-baar
lahar se dulaata raha, dhota raha.
phir ek badee tarang aayee
seepiyaan kuchh tod gayee,
kuchh ret mein daba gayee,
patthar pachhaad ke saath bah gaye.
ham apane geele pahunche nichodate rah gaye,
man rota raha.
phir, der ke baad ham ne kaha : par rona kyon?
ham ne kya saagar ko itana kuchh nahin diya?
bhor, saanjh, sooraj-chaand ke uday-ast,
shukr taare kee thir aur svaatee kee kanpatee jagamagaahat,
door kee bijalee kee chadareelee chaandanee,
umas, udaasiyaan, dhundh,
laharon mein se sanasanaatee jaatee aandhee…
kaajal-putee raat mein naav ke saath-saath
saare sansaar kee dagamagaahat :
yah sab kya ham ne nahin diya?
lambee yaatra mein
gaanv-ghar kee yaaden,
sarason ka phoolana,
hiranon kee kood, chhin chapal chhin adhar mein tankee-see,
cheelon kee udaan, chirauton-kauon kee dhithaiyaan,
saarason kee dhyaan-mudra, badalaaye taal ke seese par ankee-see,
van-tulasee kee teekhee gandh,
taaje leepe aanganon mein goyathon par
der tak garamaaye gaye doodh kee dhueenlee baas,
jeth kee godhoolee kee ghutan mein koyal kee kook,
medon par chalee jaatee chhaayaen
kheton se lautatee bhatakatee huee taanen
gochar mein khanjanon kee daud,
peepal-tale chhote divale kee
manautee-see hee daree-sahamee lau-
ye sab bhee kya ham ne nahin deen?
jo bhee paaya, diya :
dekha, diya :
aashaen, ahankaar, vinatiyaan, badaboliyaan,
eershyaen, pyaar dard, bhoolen, akulaahaten,
sabhee to diye :
jo bhoga, diya; jo nahin bhoga, vah bhee diya
jo sanjoya, diya,
jo khoya, diya.
itana hee to baakee tha ki vah saken :
jo bataaya vah bhee diya?
ki apane ko dekh saken
apane se alag ho kar
apanee iyatta maap saken
…aur sah saken?