Laksmi Mata Katha

Ek nagar mein ek bahut bada sahukar rehta tha. Uske paas dhan-daulat, sona-chandi, naukar-chakar aur kisi bhi prakaar ki koi kami nahi thi, phir bhi uske ghar mein vah sukh aur shanti nahi thi jo sachche santosh se milti hai. Sahukar ki ek beti thi, jo bahut hi saral, dayalu aur dharmparayan thi. Vah pratidin subah jaldi uthkar snaan karti, ghar ke aangan ko saaf karti aur phir apne ghar ke saamne lage vishal peepal ke vriksh par jal chadhakar shraddha se Lakshmi ka smaran karti. Vah na to kabhi dhan maangti thi aur na hi kisi prakaar ka vaibhav, balki sabke sukh aur kalyan ki prarthana karti thi. Uski bhakti mein sachchai aur pavitrata thi. Kaha jaata hai ki us peepal ke vriksh mein swayam Mata Lakshmi ka nivaas tha. Ladki ki niswarth bhakti se Mata Lakshmi atyant prasann thi. Ek din sandhya samay jab ladki deepak jalakar peepal ke neeche aarti kar rahi thi, tabhi wahan achanak divya prakash phail gaya. Vatavaran sugandhit ho utha, mand-mand ghantiyon ki dhvani sunai dene lagi aur usi prakash ke beech se Mata Lakshmi prakat hui. Unke shareer se tej nikal raha tha aur unke haathon mein kamal ke pushp shobha de rahe the. Ladki Mata ke darshan karke aashcharyachakit reh gayi aur turant unke charanon mein jhuk gayi. Mata Lakshmi ne sneh se kaha, “Beti, main teri bhakti aur seva se bahut prasann hoon. Tune kabhi swarth nahi kiya, isliye main tujhse mitrata karna chahti hoon.” Yeh sunkar ladki ki aankhon mein khushi ke aansu aa gaye. Usne vinamrata se kaha, “Mata, yeh to mera sabse bada saubhagya hai.” Ghar lautkar usne apne mata-pita ko saari baat batayi. Pehle to unhe vishwas nahi hua, lekin beti ki sachchai dekhkar ve prasann ho gaye aur bole, “Beti, yeh teri sachchi bhakti ka phal hai.” Agle din jab ladki phir peepal ke ped ke paas pahunchi, to wahan ek divya swarn rath khada tha. Rath se adbhut prakash nikal raha tha aur usmein Mata Lakshmi virajmaan thi. Mata ne muskuraakar use rath mein baithne ke liye kaha. Ladki shraddha se rath mein baith gayi. Thodi hi der mein vah Mata Lakshmi ke divya lok mein pahunch gayi. Wahan chaaron or sone-chandi ke mahal the, sundar bageeche the, kamal ke sarovar the aur vatavaran mein madhur sangeet goonj raha tha. Mata Lakshmi ne uska bahut aadar-satkar kiya. Use sone ki thaali mein anek prakaar ke swadisht vyanjan parose gaye. Bhojan ke baad Mata ne use sundar vastra, shaal-dushale, aabhushan aur anek uphaar diye. Lekin ladki ko un vastuon ka tanik bhi abhimaan nahi hua. Usne haath jodkar Mata se kaha, “Mata, aapki kripa hi mere liye sabse bada dhan hai.” Uski vinamrata dekhkar Mata aur bhi prasann ho gayin. Vida ke samay Mata ne kaha, “Beti, yaad rakhna ki sachcha dhan keval sona-chandi nahi hota. Jahan prem, daya aur santosh hota hai, wahin mera vaastavik nivaas hota hai.” Ghar lautkar ladki ne apne mata-pita ko saare uphaar dikhaye aur Mata Lakshmi ke lok ka varnan kiya. Yeh sunkar sahukar aur uski patni atyant prasann hue. Agle din ladki ne apne pita se kaha, “Pitaji, Mata ne mujhe itna sammaan diya. Kya hum unhe apne ghar bhojan ke liye aamantrit nahi kar sakte?” Sahukar ne turant sahmati de di. Poore ghar ki safai karvai gayi, sundar rangoli banai gayi, deepak sajaye gaye aur Mata ke baithne ke liye sone ki chauki par reshmi aasan bichhaya gaya. Nishchit din Mata Lakshmi unke ghar padhari. Poore ghar mein divya prakash phail gaya. Sahukar aur uska parivaar Mata ke charanon mein jhuk gaya. Ladki ne vinamrata se Mata se swarn chauki par baithne ka aagrah kiya. Mata muskurayin aur bolin, “Beti, yeh aasan rajaon aur raniyon ke liye hai. Mujhe wahan baithna priya hai jahan prem aur vinamrata ho.” Itna kahkar Mata saadharan bhoomi par biche aasan par baith gayin. Sahukar ke parivaar ne atyant prem aur shraddha se Mata ko bhojan karaya. Mata bahut prasann hui. Jab bhojan samapt hua aur Mata wapas jaane lagi, tabhi ghar ke dwar par ek bahut boodhi aur gareeb brahman stree dikhai di. Uske vastra phate hue the, chehra kamzor tha aur vah bahut bhookhi lag rahi thi. Vastav mein vah daridrata ka roop dharan karke aayi thi. Kuch sevak use wahan se hataane lage, lekin sahukar ki beti ne turant unhe rok diya. Usne us vriddha ko aadarpoorvak ghar ke bheetar bulaya, uske pair dhoye, use aasan diya aur prem se bhojan karaya. Vriddha ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. Usi samay Mata Lakshmi prakat hui aur bolin, “Beti, aaj tune siddh kar diya ki tumhare hriday mein sachchi daya aur seva ka bhaav hai. Jo gareeb, dukhi aur asahay ki sahayata karta hai, main sadaiv uske ghar mein nivaas karti hoon.” Itna kahte hi vah vriddha adrishya ho gayi aur poore ghar mein divya prakash phail gaya. Mata Lakshmi ne sahukar aur uske parivaar ko aashirvaad dete hue kaha, “Tumhare ghar mein kabhi dhan, ann, sukh aur samriddhi ki kami nahi hogi.” Us din ke baad sahukar ka ghar keval dhanvaan hi nahi, balki dharm, daya, prem aur santosh se bhi bhar gaya. Nagar ke log bhi us parivaar ka sammaan karne lage aur sab samajh gaye ki Mata Lakshmi keval vaibhav se nahi, balki sachchi bhakti, vinamrata aur seva se prasann hoti hain.