1.
ek nanha memana
aur usakee maan bakaree,
ja rahe the jangal mein
raah thee sankaree.
achaanak saamane se aa gaya ek sher,
lekin ab to
ho chukee thee bahut der.
bhaagane ka nahin tha koee bhee raasta,
bakaree aur memane kee haalat khasta.
udhar sher ke kadam dharatee naapen,
idhar ye donon thar-thar kaapen.
ab to sher aa gaya ekadam saamane,
bakaree lagee jaise-jaise
bachche ko thaamane.
chhitakakar bola bakaree ka bachcha-
sher ankal!
kya tum hamen kha jaoge
ekadam kachcha?
sher muskuraaya,
usane apana bhaaree panja
memane ke sir par phiraaya.
bola-
he bakaree – kul gaurav,
aayushmaan bhav!
deerghaayu bhav!
chiraayu bhav!
kar kalarav!
ho utsav!
saabut rahen tere sab avayav.
aasheesh deta ye pashu-pungav-sher,
ki ab nahin hoga koee andhera
uchhalo, koodo, naacho
aur jiyo hansate-hansate
achchha bakaree maiya namaste!
itana kahakar sher kar gaya prasthaan,
bakaree hairaan-
beta taajjub hai,
bhala ye sher kisee par
raham khaanevaala hai,
lagata hai jangal mein
chunaav aanevaala hai.
2.
paanee se nikalakar
magaramachchh kinaare par aaya,
ishaare se
bandar ko bulaaya.
bandar gurraaya-
khon khon, kyon,
tumhaaree najar mein to
mera kaleja hai?
magaramachchh bola-
nahin nahin, tumhaaree bhaabhee ne
khaas tumhaare liye
singhaade ka achaar bheja hai.
bandar ne socha
ye kya ghotaala hai,
lagata hai jangal mein
chunaav aane vaala hai.
lekin prakat mein bola-
vaah!
achaar, vo bhee singhaade ka,
yaani taalaab ke kabaade ka!
badee hee dayaavaan
tumhaaree maada hai,
lagata hai sher ke khilaaf
chunaav ladane ka iraada hai.
kaise jaana, kaise jaana?
aise jaana, aise jaana
ki aajakal
bhrashtaachaar kee nadee mein
nahaane ke baad
jisakee bhee chhavi svachchh hai,
vahee to magaramachchh hai.