Nae Aadmi Ki Talash Mein:

aur phir yun hua

jo purani kitaben, purane sahife

buzurgon se wirse mein hum ko mile the

unhen paDh ke hum sab ye mahsus karne lage

un ke alfaz se

koi matlab nikalta nahin hai

jo tabir-o-tafsir aglon ne ki thi

maani-o-mafhum jo un pe chaspan kiye the

ab un ki haqiqat kisi wahime se ziyaada nahin hai

aur phir yun hua

chand logon ne ye aa ke hum ko bataya

ki ab in purani kitabon ko

tah kar ke rakh do

hamare wasile se

tum par nai kuchh kitaben utari gai hain

unhen tum paDhoge

to tum par

sadaqat nae taur se munkashif hogi

bosida-o-munjamid zehn mein khiDkiyan khul sakengi

tumhein ilm-o-irfan

aur aagahi ke KHazine milenge

aur phir yun hua

in kitabon ko apni kitaben samajh kar

unhen apne sine se hum ne lagaya

har ek lafz ka wird karte rahe

ek ek satr ko gungunate rahe

ek ek harf ka ras piya

aur hamein mil gaya

jaise mani-o-mafhum ka ek naya silsila

aur phir yun hua

in kitabon se

ek din ye hum ko bashaarat mili

aane wala hai duniya mein ab ek naya aadmi

le ke apne jilau mein nai zindagi

hum andheri guphaon se

auham ki tang galiyon se niklenge

hum ko milegi nai raushni

aur phir yun hua

lane wale kitabon ke

aur wo bhi jo in pe iman lae the

sab apne apne gharon se nikal kar

kisi samt ko chal paDe

aise ek raste par

jidhar se naya aadmi

aane wala tha

ya hum ko us ka yaqin tha

ki wo aaega

aur isi samt se

bas isi samt se aaega

aur phir yun hua

der tak hum nae aadmi ke rahe muntazir

der tak shauq-e-didar ki apni aaankhon mein masti rahi

der tak us ki aamad ka hum git gate rahe

der tak us ki taswir

zehnon mein apne banate rahe

der tak is KHarabe mein ek jashn hota raha

aur phir yun hua

der tak

aur bhi der tak

jab na hum ko mila

aane wale ka koi pata

us ke qadmon ki koi na aahaT mili

hum ne phir zor se is ko aawaz di

ai nae aadmi!

ai nae aadmi!

aur ye aawaz unche pahaDon se Takra ke

be-nam sahraon se lauT ke

phir hamari taraf aa gai

aur phir yun hua

chand logon ne socha

ki shayad naya aadmi

aaega aur hi samt se

dusre chand logon ne socha

aur phir har taraf qafile qafile

aur phir har taraf raste raste

aur phir yun hua

der tak us nae aadmi ki rahi justuju

us ko aawaz dete rahe chaar su

ku-ba-ku, qarya qarya use hum bulate rahe

manzilon, manzilon

KHak uDate rahe

aur phir yun hua

sab ke chehre usi KHak mein aT gae

sab ki aaankhon mein ek tirgi chha gai

sab ko Dasne lagi rah ki be-hisi

aur phir sab wo ek dusre ke liye

ajnabi ho gae

aur phir sab ke sab

dhund mein kho gae

aur phir yun hua

hum ne phir ghar pe aa kar

kitabon ke auraq khole

unhen phir se paDhne ki KHatir uThaya

har ek satr par ghaur karte rahe der tak

aur har lafz ko

dusre lafz se joD kar

silsila harf-o-naghma ka, saut-o-sada ka milate rahe

aur phir yas-o-ummid ke darmiyan

DhunDte hi rahe us nae aadmi ka nishan

aur hamein bas milin

apni aawaz ki zard, sukhi hui patiyan

aur phir yun hua

hum se suraj kai roz ruTha raha

aasmanon se uThti rahin

tah-ba-tah badliyan

kali kali nazar aain sab wadiyan

kale ghar, kali diwaren, kali chhaten

kali saDkon pe chalti hui kali parchhaiyan

ye zamin

kale sagar mein TuTi hui naw ki tarah se Dagmagane lagi

maut ki nind aane lagi

aur phir yun hua

hum ne apne gharon mein

jalae KHud apne diye

hum ne bikhre hue KHwab, TuTe hue aaine

phir se joDe

bujhe jism ki rakh se

sar uThate hue ek nanhe se shoale ko

aur apne chehre mein

ek aur chehre ko dekha

phir apne lahu ki sadaen sunin

aur apne liye aap apni kitaben likhin