पर्याप्त पतला पड़ गया वह
दुर्लभता इसी को तो कहते हैं।
कुछ दाताओं के मुख से
कुछ भी शब्द नहीं निकले
मन्त्र-मुग्ध कीलित-से रह गये।
कुछ...तो
विधि-विस्मरण से विकल हो गये,
और
कपाल पर बार-बार हाथ लगाते हैं,
वह ऐसा प्रतीत हो रहा है, कि
कहीं प्रतिकूल भाग्य की
डाँट-डॉट कर भगा रहे हों।
‘‘हे महाराज !
विधि नहीं मिली, तो...नहीं सही
कम-से-कम इस ओर देख तो लेते,
इतने में ही सन्तोष कर लेते हम”
यूँ एक दाता ने मन की बात
सहज-भाव से सुना दी।
दाता के कई गुण होते हैं
उनमें एक गुण विवेक भी होता है
लो,
एक दाता ने विवेक ही खो दिया
और
भक्ति-भाव के अतिरेक में
पात्र के अति निकट
पथ पर आगे बढ़
दयनीय शब्दों में कहा, कि
‘‘इस जीवन में इसे
पात्रदान का सौभाग्य मिला नहीं,
It has undergone enough of lightness,
This is what is called rarity, indeed.
No word is issued forth
From the lips of some of the benefactors
Who remain standing as if charmed and nailed.
Some of them...indeed
Become restless because of forgetting the methodical rites, And
Put their palms over their skull once and again,
It seems as if
They are scolding off
Their unfavourable fate.
“O great saint !
If the methodical rituals have lacked...let it be so,
At least your Holiness should have cast a glance hither, We would have felt satisfied with this much only" -Thus, one of the benefactors expressed his mind In a natural manner.
There are many qualities of a benefactor
One of them is the power of discretion,
Lo,
One of the benefactors lost his power of discretion
And
Under excessive feelings of devotion,
On reaching nearer the sacred guest
After going along the way,
Spoke out in pitiable words, that
“He couldn't get in this life The good
luck of food-offering to a sacred guest-Munirāja.