Meraa Nayaa Bachpan

baar-baar aatee hai mujhako madhur yaad bachapan teree.
gayaa le gayaa too jeevan kee sabase mast khushee meree..

chintaa-rahit khelanaa-khaanaa vah phiranaa nirbhay svachchhand.
kaise bhoolaa jaa sakataa hai bachapan kaa atulit aanand?

oo(n)ch-neech kaa gyaan naheen thaa chhuaachhoot kisane jaanee?
banee huee thee vahaa(n) jhonpaḌee aur cheethaḌon men raanee..

kiye doodh ke kulle mainne choos a(n)gooThaa sudhaa piyaa.
kilakaaree killol machaakar soonaa ghar aabaad kiyaa..

ronaa aur machal jaanaa bhee kyaa aanand dikhaate the.
baḌe-baḌe motee-se aa(n)soo jayamaalaa pahanaate the..

main roee, maa(n) kaam chhoḌakar aaeen, mujhako uThaa liyaa.
jhaaḌ-ponchh kar choom-choom kar geele gaalon ko sukhaa diyaa..

daadaa ne chandaa dikhalaayaa netr neer-yut damak uThe.
dhulee huee muskaan dekh kar sabake chehare chamak uThe..

vah sukh kaa saamraajy chhoḌakar main matavaalee baḌee huee.
luTee huee, kuchh Thagee huee-see dauḌ dvaar par khaḌee huee..

laajabharee aa(n)khen theen meree man men uma(n)g ra(n)geelee thee.
taan raseelee thee kaanon men chanchal chhail chhabeelee thee..

dil men ek chubhan-see bhee thee yah duniyaa alabelee thee.
man men ek pahelee thee main sab ke beech akelee thee..

milaa, khojatee thee jisako he bachapan! Thagaa diyaa toone.
are! javaanee ke phande men mujhako pha(n)saa diyaa toone..

sab galiyaa(n) usakee bhee dekheen usakee khushiyaa(n) nyaaree hain.
pyaaree, preetam kee ra(n)g-raliyon kee smRtiyaa(n) bhee pyaaree hain..

maanaa mainne yuvaa-kaal kaa jeevan khoob niraalaa hai.
aakaankShaa, puruShaarth, gyaan kaa uday mohanevaalaa hai..

kintu yahaa(n) jhanjhaT hai bhaaree yuddh-kShetr sansaar banaa.
chintaa ke chakkar men paḌakar jeevan bhee hai bhaar banaa..

aa jaa bachapan! ek baar phir de de apanee nirmal shaanti.
vyaakul vyathaa miTaanevaalee vah apanee praakRt vishraanti..

vah bholee-see madhur saralataa vah pyaaraa jeevan niShpaap.
kyaa aakar phir miTaa sakegaa too mere man kaa santaap?

main bachapan ko bulaa rahee thee bol uThee biTiyaa meree.
nandan van-see phool uThee yah chhoTee-see kuTiyaa meree..

'maa(n) o' kahakar bulaa rahee thee miTTee khaakar aayee thee.
kuchh mu(n)h men kuchh liye haath men mujhe khilaane laayee thee..

pulak rahe the ang, dRgon men kautuhal thaa chhalak rahaa.
mu(n)h par thee aahlaad-laalimaa vijay-garv thaa jhalak rahaa..

mainne poochhaa 'yah kyaa laayee?' bol uThee vah 'maa(n), kaao'.
huaa praphullit hRday khushee se mainne kahaa - 'tumheen khaao'..

paayaa mainne bachapan phir se bachapan beTee ban aayaa.
usakee manjul moorti dekhakar mujh men navajeevan aayaa..

main bhee usake saath khelatee khaatee hoo(n), tutalaatee hoo(n).
milakar usake saath svayan main bhee bachchee ban jaatee hoo(n)..

jise khojatee thee barason se ab jaakar usako paayaa.
bhaag gayaa thaa mujhe chhoḌakar vah bachapan phir se aayaa..

सुभद्रा कुमार चौहान की कविताएँ