yah baanda hai.
soodakhor aadhat vaalon kee is nagaree mein,
jahaan maar, kaabar, kachhaar, madua kee fasalen,
krshakon ke paurush se upaja kan-kan sona,
ladhiyon mein lad-lad kar aa-aa kar,
beech haat mein bik kar kothon-godaamon mein,
gaharee khohon mein kho jaata hai ja-ja kar,
aur yahaan par
raamapadaarath, raamanihore,
benee pandit, baasudev, baldev, vidhaata,
chandan, chaturee aur chaturbhuj,
gaanvon se aa-aa kar gahane giravee rakhate,
badhe byaaj ke munh mein bar-bas bebas ghusate,
phir bhee ghar ka kharch nahin poora kar sakate,
mota khaate, phata pahanate,
lastam-pastam jaise-taise bharate-khapate,
nyaay yahaan par anyaayon par vijay na paata,
saty saral hokar kora asaty rah jaata,
nyaayaalay kee dyodhee par dab kar mar jaata,
yahaan hamaare bhaavee raashtr-vidhaata,
yug ke bachche,
vidyaalay mein vaanee-vidya-buddhi na paate,
vigyaanee banane se vanchit rah jaate,
keval mittee mein mil jaate.
yah baanda hai,
aur yahaan par main rahata hoon,
jeevan-yaapan kathinaee se hee karata hoon,
kabhee kaavy kee kaee panktiyaan,
kabhee aath-das bees panktiyaan,
aur kabhee kavitaen likhakar,
pyaase man kee pyaas bujha leta hoon ras se,
shaayad hee aata hai koee mitr yahaan par,
shaayad hee aatee hain mere paas chitthiyaan.
mere kavi-mitron ne mujh par krpa na kee hai,
iseelie rahata udaas hoon, khoya-khoya,
apane dukh-dardon mein dooba,
jan-saadhaaran kee haalat se ooba-ooba,
baan-bindhe pakshee-sa ghaayal,
jal se nikalee huee meen-sa, vikal tadapata,
iseelie aatur rahata hoon,
kabhee-kabhee to koee aae,
chhathe-chhamaahe chaar-paanch din to rah jae,
mere saath bitae,
kaavy, kala, saahity-kshetr kee chhata dikhae,
aur mujhe ras se bhar jae, madhur banae,
phir jae, jeeta mujhako kar jae.
aakhir main bhee to manushy hoon,
aur mujhe bhee kavi-mitron ka saath chaahie,
laalaayit rahata hoon main sabase milane ko,
shyaam salil ke shvet kamal-sa khil uthane ko.
sach maano jab yahaan niraala jee aae the,
kaee saal ho gae, yahaan kam rah pae the,
unhen dekh kar mugdh hua tha, dhany hua tha,
kavitaon ka paath unheen ke mukh se sunakar,
gandharvon ko bhool gaya tha,
taanasen ko bhool gaya tha,
soordaas, tulasee, kabeer ko bhool gaya tha,
aisee vaanee thee hindee ke mahaakrtee kee.
tab yah baanda kaavy-kala kee puree bana tha,
aur saal par saal yahaan madhumaas raha tha,
bambeshvar ke patthar bhee ban gae hrday the,
choonariya ban gaee hava thee, gaune vaalee,
aur gagan ka raaja sooraj doolha ban kar,
choom raha tha priy dulahan ko.
phir din beete, madhu-ghat reete,
phir pahale-sa yah neeras ho gaya nagar tha,
phir pahale-sa main chintit tha,
phir mera man bhee kunthit tha,
phir laalaayit tha milane ko kavi-mitron se,
phir main unakee baat johata raha nirantar,
jaise khetihar baat johata hai baadal kee,
jaise bhaarat baat johata hai sooraj kee,
kintu na koee aaya,
aane ke vaade mitron ke toote,
kaee varsh phir beete,
rang hue sab pheeke,
aur na koee rahee hrday mein aasha.
tabhee bandhuvar sharma aae,
mahaadev saaha bhee aae,
aur niraala-parv manaaya ham logon ne,
munshee jee ke pustak-ghar mein,
ek baar phir mila suavasar madhu peene ka,
kavita ka jharana ban kar jhar-jhar jeene ka,
lagaataar ghanton, paharon tak,
ek saath saansen lene ka,
ek saath dil kee dhadakan se dhvani karane ka,
aisa laga ki jaise ham sab,
ek praan hain, ek deh hain, ek geet hain, ek goonj hain
is viraat phailee dharatee ke,
aur hamee to vaalmeeki hain, kaalidaas hain,
tulasee hain, hindee kavita ke harishachandr hain,
aur niraala hamee log hain,
bandhu! aaj bhee vah din mujhako nahin bhoolata,
usakee smrti ab bhee bele-see mahak rahee hai,
us din ka aanand aaj
kaalidaas ka chhand bana man moh raha hai,
mukt mor ban shyaam badariya bhare hrday mein,
dupahariya mein, shaam-sabere naach raha hai,
rain-andhere mein chandaniyaan baanh pasaare,
hamako, sabako bhent raha hai.
sambhavatah us din mera nav janm hua tha,
sambhavatah us din mujhako kavita ne chooma,
sambhavatah us din mainne himagiri ko dekha,
ganga ke koolon kee mittee mainne paee,
us mittee se ugatee fasalen mainne paeen,
aur usee ke kaaran ab baanda mein jeevit rahata hoon,
aur usee ke kaaran ab tak kavita kee rachana karata hoon,
aur tumhaare lie pasaare baanh khada hoon,
aao saathee gale laga loon,
tumhen, tumhaaree mithila kee pyaaree dharatee ko,
isamen vyaape vidyaapati ko,
aur vahaan kee janavaanee ke chhand choom loon,
aur vahaan ke gadh-pokhar ka paanee chhoo kar nain juda loon,
aur vahaan ke dukhamochan, mohan maanjhee ko mitr bana loon,
aur vahaan ke har chaaval ko haathon mein le hrday laga loon,
aur vahaan kee aabahava se vah sukh pa loon
jo nrtyon mein naacha ja kar kabhee na chukata,
jo aankhon mein aanja ja kar kabhee na chukata,
jo jvaala mein daala ja kar kabhee na jalata,
jo rotee mein khaaya ja kar kabhee na kamata,
jo golee se maara ja kar kabhee na marata,
jo din doona raat chauguna vyaapak banata,
aur vahaan nadiyon mein bahata,
naavon ko le aage badhata,
aur vahaan phoolon mein khilata,
baagon ko saurabh se bharata.
ahobhaagy hai jo tum aae mujhase milane,
is baanda mein chaar roz ke lie thaharane,
ahobhaagy hai mera, mere ghar vaalon ka,
jinako tum svaagat se hansate dekh rahe ho.
ahobhaagy hai is jeevan ke in koolon ka,
jinako tum apanee kavita se seench rahe ho.
ahobhaagy hain ham donon ka,
jinako aajeevan jeena hai kaavy-kshetr mein.
ahobhaagy hai ham donon kee in aankhon ka,
jinamen anabujh jyoti jagee hai apane yug kee.
ahobhaagy hai do janakaviyon ke hrdayon ka
jinakee dhadakan garaj rahee hai ghan-garjan-see.
ahobhaagy hai kathinaee mein pade hue pratyek vyakti ka,
jinaka saahas-shaury na ghatata.
ahobhaagy hai svayan uge in sab pedon ka,
jinake drum-dal jharate phir-phir nae nikalate.
ahobhaagy hai har chhotee chanchal chidiya ka,
jinaka need bigadate-banate der na lagatee.
ahobhaagy hai bambeshvar kee chaudee-chakalee chattaanon ka,
jinako tumane pyaar kiya hai, sahalaaya hai.
ahobhaagy hai ken nadee ke is paanee ka,
jisakee dhaara banee tumhaare svar kee dhaara.
ahobhaagy hai baanda kee is kathin bhoomi ka,
jisako tumane charan chhula kar jila diya hai.