लोभका दुष्परिणाम

प्राचीन कालमें सृञ्जय नामके एक नरेश थे। उनके कोई पुत्र नहीं था, केवल एक कन्या थी । पुत्रप्राप्तिकी इच्छासे उन्होंने वेदज्ञ ब्राह्मणोंकी सेवा प्रारम्भ की। राजाके दान एवं सम्मानसे संतुष्ट होकर ब्राह्मणोंने देवर्षि नारदसे राजाके पुत्र होनेकी प्रार्थना की। उन दिनों देवर्षि राजा सृञ्जयके ही अतिथि थे। ब्राह्मणोंकी प्रार्थनासे द्रवित होकर देवर्षिने राजासे कहा- ‘तुम कैसा पुत्र चाहते हो ?’

अब राजा सृञ्जयके मनमें लोभ आया। उन्होंनेप्रार्थना की— ‘आप मुझे ऐसा पुत्र होनेका वरदान दें जो सुन्दर हो, स्वस्थ हो, गुणवान् हो तथा उसके मल-मूत्र, थूक- कफ आदि स्वर्णमय हों।’

देवर्षिने कुछ सोचकर ‘एवमस्तु’ कह दिया। उनके वरदानके अनुसार राजाको थोड़े दिनमें पुत्र प्राप्त हुआ । उस पुत्रका नाम राजाने सुवर्णष्ठीवी रखा। अब सृञ्जयके धनका क्या ठिकाना था। उनके पुत्रका थूक तथा मल मूत्र – सभी स्वर्ण होता था। राजाने अपने राजभवनके सब पात्र, आसन आदि स्वर्णके बनवा लिये। इसके अनन्तरउन्होंने पूरा राजभवन ही स्वर्णका बनवाया। उसमें दीवाल, खंभे, छत तथा भूमि आदि सब सोनेकी थीं।

राजाके पुत्र सुवर्णष्ठीवीका समाचार सारे देशमें फैल गया। दूर-दूर से लोग उसे देखने आने लगे। डाकुओंने भी यह समाचार पाया। उनके अनेक दल परस्पर मिलकर उस राजकुमारको हरण करनेका प्रयत्न करने लगे। अवसर पाकर एक रात दस्यु राजभवनमें घुस आये और राजकुमारको उठा ले गये ।

वनमें पहुँचनेपर दस्युओंमें विवाद हो गया। अधिक समयतक राजकुमारको जीवित छिपाये रखना अत्यन्तकठिन था। सबने निश्चय किया कि सुवर्णष्ठीवीको मारकर जो स्वर्ण मिले, उसे परस्पर बाँट लिया जाय। उन निर्दय दस्युओंने राजकुमारके टुकड़े कर डाले; किंतु उसके शरीरसे उन्हें एक रत्ती भी सोना नहीं मिला।

लोभके वश होकर राजा सृञ्जयने ऐसा पुत्र माँगा कि उसकी रक्षा अशक्य हो गयी। पुत्रशोक सहन करना पड़ा उन्हें। लोभवश डाकुओंने राजकुमारकी हत्या की। केवल पापभागी हुए वे और राजकोपके भाजन भी । लाभ कुछ उन्हें भी नहीं हुआ ।

-सु0 सिं0 (महाभारत, द्रोण0 55 )

In ancient times there was a king named Srinjay. He had no son, only a daughter. With the desire to have a son, he started serving the Vedagya Brahmins. Satisfied with the king’s charity and respect, the Brahmins prayed to Devarshi Narad to be the king’s son. In those days Devarshi was the guest of King Srinjay. Moved by the prayers of the Brahmins, Devarshi said to the king – ‘What kind of son do you want?’
Now King Srinjay got greed in his mind. He prayed- ‘You give me the boon of having such a son who is beautiful, healthy, virtuous and his excreta-urine, spit-phlegm etc. are golden.’
Devarshi thought something and said ‘Evamastu’. According to his boon, the king got a son in a few days. The king named that son Suvarnasthivi. Now what was the destination of Srinjay’s wealth. His son’s spit and excreta were all gold. The king got all the utensils, seats etc. of his palace made of gold. After this, he got the entire Raj Bhavan made of gold. The walls, pillars, roof and land etc. were all made of gold in it.
The news of king’s son Suvarnasthi spread all over the country. People started coming from far and wide to see him. The dacoits also got this news. Many of their parties together started trying to abduct that prince. Taking the opportunity, one night the dacoits entered the palace and took away the prince.
On reaching the forest, there was a dispute between the bandits. It was very difficult to keep the prince alive for a long time. Everyone decided that the gold obtained by killing Suvarnasthi should be divided among themselves. Those merciless bandits cut the prince into pieces; But they could not find even a single piece of gold from his body.
Under the control of greed, King Srinjay asked for such a son that it became impossible to protect him. He had to bear the bereavement of his son. Out of greed, the dacoits killed the prince. Only they became sinners and also the hymns of Rajkop. They didn’t get any benefit either.