Āstar 4
mardkee aastar say madad maangta hai
1jab mardkee ko maaloom hua ki kya hua hai to us nay ranjish say apnay kapdon ko phaad kar taat ka libaas pahen liya aur sar par raakh daal lee. phir vah nikal kar buland aavaaz say girya-o-zaaree kartay kartay shaher men say guzra. 2vah shaahee sahen kay darvaazay tak pahunch gaya lekin daakhil na hua, kyoonki maatmee kapday pahen kar daakhil honay kee ijaazat naheen thee. 3saltanat kay tamaam soobon men jahaan jahaan baadshaah ka elaan pahuncha vahaan yahoodee khoob maatam karnay aur roza rakh kar ronay aur girya-o-zaaree karnay lagay. bahut say log taat ka libaas pahen kar raakh men let gaay.
4jab aastar kee naukraaniyon aur khwaajaasaraaon nay a kar usay ittila dee to vah sakht ghabra gaee. us nay mardkee ko kapday bhej diay jo vah apnay maatmee kapdon kay badlay pahen lay, lekin us nay unhen qabool na kiya. 5tab aastar nay hataak khwaajaasara ko mardkee kay paas bheja taaki vah maaloom karay ki kya hua hai, mardkee aisee harkaten kyoon kar raha hai. (baadshaah nay hataak ko aastar kee khidmat karnay kee zimmaadaaree dee thee.)
6hataak shaahee sahen kay darvaazay say nikal kar mardkee kay paas aaya jo ab tak saath vaalay chauk men tha. 7mardkee nay usay haamaan ka poora mansooba suna kar yah bhee bataaya ki haamaan nay yahoodiyon ko halaak karnay kay liyay shaahee khazaanay ko kitnay paisay denay ka vaada kiya hai. 8is kay ilaava mardkee nay khwaajaasara ko us shaahee farmaan kee kaapee dee jo sosan men saadir hua tha aur jis men yahoodiyon ko nest-o-naabood karnay ka elaan kiya gaya tha. us nay guzaarish kee, “yah elaan aastar ko dikha kar unhen tamaam haalaat say baakhabar kar den. unhen hidaayat den ki baadshaah kay huzoor jaaen aur us say iltija karkay apnee qaum kee sifaarish karen.”
9hataak vaapas aaya aur mardkee kee baaton kee khabar dee. 10yah sun kar aastar nay usay dubaara mardkee kay paas bheja taaki usay bataaay, 11“baadshaah kay tamaam mulaazim balki soobon kay tamaam baashinday jaantay hain ki jo bhee bulaaay baghair mahel kay androonee sahen men baadshaah kay paas aaay usay saza-ay-maut dee jaaegee, khwaah vah mard ho ya aurat. vah sirf is soorat men bach jaaega ki baadshaah sonay ka apna asa us kee taraf badhaaay. baat yah bhee hai ki baadshaah ko mujhay bulaaay 30 din ho gaay hain.”
12aastar ka paighaam sun kar 13mardkee nay javaab vaapas bheja, “yah na sochna ki main shaahee mahel men rahetee hoon, is liyay go deegar tamaam yahoodee halaak ho jaaen main bach jaaoongee. 14agar aap is vaqt khaamosh rahengee to yahoodee kaheen aur say rihaaee aur chhutkaara pa lengay jabki aap aur aap kay baap ka gharaana halaak ho jaaengay. kya pata hai, shaayad aap isee liyay malika ban gaee hain ki aisay mauqay par yahoodiyon kee madad karen.”
15aastar nay mardkee ko javaab bheja, 16“theek hai, phir jaaen aur sosan men rahenay vaalay tamaam yahoodiyon ko jama karen. meray liyay roza rakh kar teen din aur teen raat na kuchh khaaen, na pien. main bhee apnee naukraaniyon kay saath mil kar roza rakhoongee. is kay baad baadshaah kay paas jaaoongee, go yah qaanoon kay khilaaf hai. agar marna hai to mar hee jaaoongee.”
17tab mardkee chala gaya aur vaisa hee kiya jaisa aastar nay usay hidaayat kee thee.