सम्पाती – धर्मवीर भारती

(जटायु का बड़ा भाई गिद्ध जो प्रथम बार सूर्य तक पहुचने के लिए उड़ा पंख झुलस जाने पर समुद्र-तट पर गिर पड़ा! सीता की खोज में जाने वाले वानर उसकी गुफा में भटक कर उसके आहार बने)

…यह भी अदा थी मेरे बड़प्पन की
कि जब भी गिरुं तो समुद्र के पार!
मेरे पतन तट पर गहरी गुफा हो एक-
बैठूं जहाँ मई समेट कर अपने अधजल पंख
ताकि वे सनद रहें…
जिनको दिखा सकूँ कि पहला विद्रोही था मई
जिसने सूर्य की चुनौती स्वीकारी थी

सूरज बेचारा तो अब अपनी जगह
उतन ही एकाकी वैसा ही ज्वलंत है
मैंने, सिर्फ मैने चुनौतियाँ स्वीकारना बेकार समझ कर
बंद कर दिया है अब!

सुखद है धीरे धीरे बूढ़े होते हुए
गुफा में लेटकर समुद्र को पछाड़ें कहते हुए देखना

कभी कभी छलांग कर समुद्र पार करने का
कोई दुस्साहसी इस गुफा में आता है
कहता हूँ मै तू! ओ अनुगामी तू मेरा आहार है!
(क्योकि आखिर क्यों वे मुझे याद दिलाते है मेरे उस रूप की, भूलना जिसे अब मुझे ज्यादा अनुकूल है!)

उनके उत्साह को हिकारत से देखता हुआ
मै फिर फटकारता हूँ अपने अधजले पंख
क्योकि वे सनद है
कि प्रामाणिक विद्रोही मै ही था, मै ही हूँ

नहीं, अब कोई संघर्ष मुझे छोटा नहीं
वह मै नहीं
मेरा भाई था जटायु
जो व्यर्थ के लिए जाकर भीड़ गया दशानन से
कौन है सीता?
और किसको बचायें? क्यों?
निरदृत तो आखिर दोनों ही करेंगे उसे
रावण उसे हार कर और राम उसे जीत कर
नहीं, अब कोई चुनौती मुझे छूती नहीं

————————————
गुफा में अब शान्ति है…
————————————

कौन है ये समुद्र पार करने के दावेदार
कह दो इनसे कि अब यह सब बेकार है
साहस जो करना था कबका कर चूका मै
ये क्यों कोलाहल कर शान्ति भांग करते है
देखते नहीं ये
कि सुखद है मेरे लिए झुर्रियां पड़ती हुई पलके उठा कर
गुफा में पड़े पड़े समुद्र को देखना…

∼ धर्मवीर भारती

Who was Sampaati?

Sampaati was the elder brother of Jataayu. [Jataayu’s Lineage]

When Angad’s team was sitting desperate on a mountain peak, Sampaati was also sitting there close by. When he saw so many Vaanar he got very happy that he got good food today. But then he heard his brother and Raam’s names from Angad. He got surprised and came near them to ask about his brother as he did not hear anything from him for quite some time. He asked ‘How do you know about Jataayu?’ Angad told him his whole story and about Seetaa’s search. Then Sampaati told them his story.

Once both brothers flew as high as they could and wanted to touch Soorya. But when they flew up and up and reached near Soorya, Jataayu started getting hurt by Soorya’s heat, so Sampaati hid him under his wings. But later his own wings also started burning with Soorya’s heat and he fell down unconscious on a mountain peak.

Since his wings were burned he could not fly any more. There used to live a Rishi named Chandramaa who used to preach him. Sampaati was so desperate of his life that he wanted to die. But Chandramaa Muni said – ‘Don’t be so desperate, when Raam will take Avataar on Prithvi, then you help Him and after that you will be all right.’ After saying this to me Muni went away to his Lok and I have been waiting here for this day to come since then. I am quite old now and cannot see as before, but still I can see much far than you. Take me up the mountain so that I can see from there.’

Vaanar took him up the mountain and he told them that he could see Seetaa sitting in a garden in Lankaa Nagaree on Trikoot Parvat. He said – ‘If I had been in my previous state, I myself could have gone there and brought you Her message, but I cannot do so now.’ Angad asked – ‘How do you know Seetaa was abducted by Raavan and you saw Her there?’

Sampaati said – ‘After my wings were burned I could not fly, so I could not collect my food. I have a son who used to bring food for me. One day he came back without food, as he could not get food for me, and told me that he saw a Raakshas taking a beautiful woman. That woman was crying. I understood that he was Raavan abducting some woman. That is how I know about Her.’