प्रकरण (अनुवादित)

एउटा यस्तै परिस्थितिले जन्माएको छोरो

A Circumstance-born Child

भरखरै टुसाउन लागेको बीजजस्तै, कलिलो, कोमल, मुलायम। नलनशाले परिपूर्ण निर्दोष अबोध जिन्दगी। एउटी साधारण अशिक्षित आमाको गर्भबाट बाहिरिनलाई गर्ववासमा रहेर दशौंमासको परिपक्वताले जन्म भएको छ यस शिशुको।

Young, gentle, soft like a newly sprouting seed. Innocent, blemish-less life covered with nerves and veins. After maturing in the womb of a simple, uneducated mother for ten long months, this child has taken birth.

उसको कर्तव्य पूरा गरिसकी त्यस आमाले तर उन्मत्त यौवनमा बाढ़ भइदिने साथै यौवनको तृष्णा मेटाएर त्यस शिशुको भावी भविष्यको शिक्षा दीक्षा र मानिसको सामुन्ने मानिस झैँ एक पुरूषको संज्ञा तयारी गरिदिने पिताको नाम ठेगना छैन।

The mother has fulfilled her duty. But the father – who washed away her prime youth just to satisfy his own lust is absconding untraceable leaving behind his duty to give the young one an identity of a human in the society.

अब के त? त्यसकी आमा अपमानित सामाजको हिलो भएर ममतामयी जननीले बर्बरतापूर्वक समाज को कुव्यवहारको कठोरतापूर्वक दोषको भागी बन्दै वेश्याको उपनाम सहनैपर्ने हो? त्यस अबलालाई वेश्याको लहरमा उभ्याउने पुरूषलाई मान्छेहरूका मानसिकताले के भन्ने? के ऊ दोषको भागी छैन? तर मान्छेका राशदेखि फालिएकी त्यस आमाले नैराश्यको महसुस गर्दै अज्ञान यौवनको बाहुपासमा नारी सौन्दर्यले सृजना गरेको अबोध बालकसित जिन्दगीको विडम्बनामूलक चार प्रहर बिताउनैपर्ने हो? यी मान्छेहरूका बस्तीमा मान्छे आफ्नो मुख नहेरी अर्कालाई कालो भन्छन्। त्यसैले आजभोलि थुप्रैले त्यसलाई देखेर थुक्छन्, खित्का छोड़ेर हाँस्छन् अनि खुशामत गर्छन्। त्यसैले आज त्यसलाई त्यसरी औल्याउनेहरू धेरै छन् । यदि कुनै एक साहित्यिकले भेटे काल्पनिक नामसँग तलना गरेर कथा, नाटक, कविता, निबन्ध विधा हरुको पात्र बनाई साहित्यको फुलबारीमा फुलाइदिन्थे, अनि आफू विभिन्न पदकले विभूषित हुन्थे। उपन्यास जगतमा उपन्यासकार ले आफ्नो सामाजिक उपन्यास प्रस्तुत गरिदिन्थे तर विवश त्यस शिशुलाई के थाह?

What next? Does the child’s loving mother need to bear the label of prostitute and digest the filth of society’s injustice like mud in a sewage, hated by all? What does humanity have to say about the man who is responsible to put on her the label of prostitute? Has he absolutely no stake in the crime? Does the mother, casted away by humanity, need to spend her precious moments carrying the child created by feminine beauty trapped in clutches of unfamiliar youth, with a deep feeling of loneliness in her heart? In this human civilization, people label others' faces as dark without realizing how their own face looks. Hence, there are many who spit on her, laugh out aloud on her and gossip on her plight. If a poet or a writer would have known about her and her plight, he would have recreated her character in his poems, stories, dramas, essays, etc. and would have planted her as a beautiful flower in the garden of literature, and as a result, would have got decorated himself with numerous medals and prizes. The innocent child lays unaware of all these happenings around him.

चाहे त्यो कुनै पनि क्षेत्र किन नहोस्। काल्पनिक परिपाटील श्रृङ्गार गर्नभन्दा सामाजिक र नैतिक परिपाटीले श्रृङ्गार गरे अवश्य त्यो शिशु भोलिको कर्मठ र सफल नागरिक बनेर देश र समाजको मैलो परम्परालाई उन्मूलन पारेर यग पुरूषको परिचय दिने थियो। युगौंदेखि आमोदप्रिय शोषकहरूको चुसाइले रित्तिएको गरिबी लाई शोषण हटाउको नारा भन्न लाउँथ्यो होला। त्यही आमा जसले कुमान्छेहरूको घृणित समाजमा लाञ्छित अनुहार देखाइए तापनि आत्मिकबलले सीता र सावित्रीको दाँजोमा उभिने ऐच्छिक चिन्तनको खाँचो थिएन। ता कि आलोचनामा बाँधिनुपर्ने नै थिएन। एक राष्ट्र प्रेम भएकी वीङ्गना थिई या चेतनशील मान्छेहरूका अपरिभाषित जिज्ञासा मूलक द्वन्द्व पिरोलिन परे पनि एउटा भावी महापुरूषकी भविष्य निर्मात्री थिइन्।

Instead of decorating the child with customs driven by beliefs and imagination, had it been decorated with social and moral customs, the child would grow to be a hardworking and successful citizen and would eventually prove himself to be the man-of-the-age by eradicating vile traditions. He would have given voice to the poor who have been sucked empty since ages by pleasure-loving exploiters. The mother, who didn’t let her will to prove her loyalty and beauty of character fall low even amidst the hatred of inhuman forces, wouldn’t have to get trapped in the vile criticisms. If she let her be herself, she might have been a great patriot, facilitator for an illuminated future of a to-be great soul.

हो त्यही बालक वर्ष पछि एक जवान निडर छाती लिएर मातृभूमिको सिमा सिमानामा देश रक्षाको निम्ति शत्रुसँग डटेर लड़ेर भीषण बमबारी सामना गर्ने एक योद्धा हुने थियो।

Yes, the same child would grow up to be a warrior in the front-line, protecting his motherland with his chest wide open, fighting his enemies with fearlessness surpassing deadly weapons as if they meant no harm to him.

यदि धनवान समुदायले अधोपतनको झाड़ीमा नधकेली दिएको भए, आजको शोषित र दरिद्रताको उद्धार गर्न चाहने मार्कस र लेलिन हुने थिए औ घाइतेहरूकी आमा मदर टेरेसा झै अमावस्या को दाह गर्न विद्रोह को रोको बाल्ने क्षमता, शाहस सृजित गर्न सक्ने थियो होला।

If not suppressed by rich and powerful people, the child would become in the likes of Marx and Lenin who would provide salvation to the exploited and poor. The mother might have the power and will to burn the lamp of rebellion and kill the darkness of our society.

जीवन र युग त केवल नाट्यशाला हो। यो क्षणिक रङ्गमञ्च जसले पनि अभिनय गर्छ। आज पराक्रमी कहलाइएका ती महान् पुरूषहरू, युधिष्ठिर, भीम, अर्जुन, नहकुल र सहदेवसँग त्यस वेश्या पुत्र बालकको तुलना गरे केही फरक पाइन्न सायद। माता कुंती आकर्षणी मन्त्र जाँच गर्दा हठात् देवताहरूका आगमनलाई नकार्न नसकी यी योद्धा पुत्रहरूको जन्मदिनमा सफल भइथिन् । यसर्थ के यी पुत्ररत्नहरू वैवाहिक जीवन पछि रचिएका सुपुत्रनै हुन त? अवश्य होइनन्। तब त यी पनि त्यसरी नै फालिनुपर्ने हो। तब कसरी महाभारत लेखियो, तिनलाई पात्र बनाएर? आखिर ऊ मान्छे हो एवं त्यही प्राकृतिक उद्यान रमाएर लहरा, पहरा र छहराको रमझम दृश्य अवलोकन गर्दै धरतीको स्वतन्त्र छातीमा रम्ने थियो। निर्धो भइदिनाले कसैले उसबाट फाइदा उठाउनु शिवाय केही होइन। मानौ झुत्रों थोत्रो पहिरणमा तर्तरी पसीना चुहाएर चैत–वैशाख की उराठिलो भवमा चक्कर घाममा खनिरहेको किसान ऊ भाग्यले नै यस्तो भएको होला त? निधारमा हात लाएर उसले बिरक्तीको सुस्केरा हाल्छ भने त्यसको नैतिक जिम्मेवारी कसले लिन? समाज की उदासीनता परिस्थिति? अहँ होइन, उसलाई त दासत्व को व्यक्तिगत स्वार्थसिद्धले गर्दा यस्तो भयो।

This earth is just a stage for the drama called human life. Everyone has to act in this momentary stage. We may hardly find any difference if we compare the child with the mighty warriors of all time, namely, Yudhisthir, Bheem, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev. Mother Kunti had given birth to these warrior sons when she was testing the attraction power bestowed upon her by invoking it against the Gods. So were those sons legitimate offsprings consummated from a marriage? Definitely not. Then, weren't they supposed to be casted away? How did they go ahead and become the character of the greatest epic of all times? The child, like anyone else, is a human. He deserves to enjoy dancing and playing with the creations of mother nature, on her open chest. Just because he's helpless, he's being exploited, that's all. Shall we blame the fate of the farmer who wears torn clothes and toils his sweat out in the scorching heat of the sun for all the hardships he is facing? Who is supposed to be held morally responsible for his frustration filled sighs? Actually his circumstances are the result of exploitation by masters breeding slavery for their selfish gains.

अझै पनि शिक्षा नपाएका मान्छे रूपी आत्मा हरु होटल, चिया पसल आदितिर काम गरी गुजारा गर्दछन्। उमेर आएपछि तिनै असामाजिक काम गरी सभ्यसमाजलाई धमिल्याउँछन् । त्यस विषयमा कसैको ध्यानाकर्षण छैन। दलितहरूको कुनै सुनवाइ छैन। भए पनि प्रयोग छैन। बोलेर होइन तर प्रयोगले मात्र निम्नवर्ग उठ्न सक्छ। माधव माधव बन्नपर्छ र नै गरीबी उन्मूलन होला। यहाँ कवि लक्ष्मीप्रसाद कविता को पङ्क्तिलाई लिउँ - प्रयासका पत्थरमा नदीसरी, बहन्छु हाँसी म तरङ्गले भरि। म पोखरी झै उही ठाउँ जम्दिनँ, छ शुद्ध यो जीवनको सबै कण।।

Uneducated human souls are still serving in hotels and tea stalls for their living. When poverty hits them extremes, these very people get desperate and resort to anti-social activities and create unrest. But who is interested in this matter? No voice of these downtroddens are heard. Even if some happen to hear them, nobody cares for it. The lower class will rise only if we act, not by words. People need to become Godly within in order to eradicate poverty. Let's quote Lakshmiprasad Devkota here, "I flow laughing merrily like a stream among the rocks of effort. I don't stagnate like a pond, and every second of my life is pure."

प्रयासरत परिस्थितिको चेपारो र शोषक श्रेणीको शोषणबाट उन्मुक्त हुन भगीरथ प्रयास गरिरहनुपर्ने त्यो श्रापित जिन्दगी। धनवान मानिस एउटा पोखरीमा जमेको पानी हो, जो पिउनलायक हुँदैन तर गरीब बगेको स्वच्छ विशुद्ध पानी हो जसलाई पिएर प्यास मेटाउन सकिन्छ। मान्छेकै स्वार्थतामा नरकगामी मां मान्छे को जड़ा–पेशाब बोकेर कहीं थन्क्याउँछन्। न उसको जिन्दगीका हरेक सहुलियतहरू व्यवस्थित छन्। बरू उसैलाई 'अस्पृश्यता'को वर्गमा राख्छ सभा मान्छे। यसैले गान्धीले भनेका थिए, “Untouchability is a crime against god and men,” अर्थात् छुवाछुत ईश्वर अनि मान्छेकै निम्ति एउटा अपराध हो। यहाँ जन्मि अभागी र भाग्यमानी अर्थात् गरीब भएर जन्मिएको कोही हुँदैन तर मानवले श्रेण विभाजन गर्छ र त्यसैले असहाय हरुको सृजन हुने गर्छ। नत्र एउटा नाली फ्वां को कुनै शिशुलाई अनाथ आश्रममा दिउँ या कुनै वर्गभेद छुट्याउन सज्जन के पालन पोषण गरे त्यो अवश्य भाग्यमानी भएको हुनेछ जस्तै महाभरतम् कर्ण। यसर्थ पुराना यस्ता कति नचाहिंदा विचार तथा भनाइहरू दोषारोपण का बी मात्र हुन्। समय मूल्यवान हुन्छ कहिले सासुको पालो त कहिले बुहारीको पालो सामन्तहरू असहायहरूको पसिना चुसेर धनाढ्य शान देखाउँछन् तर अहसायह सागठित भए सामन्तहरू अभिमन्यूझै चक्रव्यूहमा पर्ने थिए। देश, काल र परिस्थिति परिस्थितिवश जन्मिएका छोरा-छोरी हरू लाई उठाउन पनि सक्ने छन्।

That life is cursed who needs to put in tremendous efforts to pass through the narrow passage of struggle and win over the exploitation of powerful people. Rich people are like water from a stagnant pond, unhygienic for drinking, whereas struggling poor people are like flowing streams, pure and hygienic, that we can drink to our content. Blinded by selfishness, people are ready to hide their own feces as well. This child doesn’t have the pleasure of any type of conveniences in his life, and on top of it, so-called civilized people categorize him as ‘untouchable’. Gandhiji had rightly said, “Untouchability is a crime against God and men.” Nobody is born fortunate or unfortunate, it is people who make them such. In the care of a person who doesn’t believe in these differences, even a child picked up from the gutter will get to lead a fortunate life, as we can see in case of Karna in Mahabharata. So it’s proof enough that such filthy traditional customs and mindset are just the seeds of acquisitions aimed to put down others. Time is precious and it gives everyone a chance. The Lords show off their fortune sucked out from the helpless ones. But, if the helpless community unite together, they can break the wheel just like Abhimanyu single-handedly broke Kauravas’ mighty war maze. They can lift up all of those children born in such unfortunate time, location and circumstances.