uUnh dh ihB dk dwcM+

nkeksnj /ekZuan dkslkEch

The Hump On Nandi's Back

D. D. Kosambi
 uo tuokpu vkanksyu
bl fdrkc dk izdk'ku Hkkjr Kku foKku lfefr us
^lj nksjkcth VkVk VªLV* ds lg;ksx ls fd;k gSA
bl vkanksyu dk edln vke turk esa
iBu&ikBu laLÑfr fodflr djuk gSA

uUnh dh ihB dk dwcM+ The Hump On Nandi's Back

nkeksnj /ekZuan dkslkEch D. D. Kosambi

¯gnh vuqokn Hindi Translation

vjfoUn xqIrk Arvind Gupta

dkWih laiknd Copy Editor

jk/s';ke eaxksyiqjh Radheshyam Mangolpuri

js[kkadu Illustration
dSju gsMkWd Karen Haydock

doj fMtkbu vkSj ysvkmV Cover Design & Layout

vHk; dqekj >k Abhay Kumar Jha
izFke laLdj.k First Edition
ekpZ 2008 March 2008
lg;ksx jkf'k Contributory Price
15 #i;s Rs. 15.00
eqæ.k Printing
vouhr vkWiQlsV izsl Avneet Offset Press
ubZ fnYyh & 110 018 New Delhi - 110 018

Publication and Distribution

Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti
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Phone : 011 - 26569943, Fax : 91 - 011 - 26569773
Email : bgvs_delhi@yahoo.co.in, bgvsdelhi@gmail.com

BGVS MAR 2008 1K 1500 NJVA 0000/2008

4
 uUnh dh ihB dk dwcM+
¹xkao ds okf"kZd esys dk volj gSA mlesa tkuojksa dh [kjhn&iQjks[r
dk vPNk dkjksckj gksxkA xkao ds eqf[k;k dk csVk jke] lqcg&lqcg
vius uUnh cSy dks pjkus ys tkrk gSA 'kke dks uUnh tkuojksa ds
tywl dh vxqokbZ djsxkA taxy ds ,d Nksj ij rkykc gSA /hjs&
/hjs ogka cw<+s ihiy ds isM+ ds uhps jke ds cgqr ls fe=k bdêòs gks
tkrs gSaA os lHkh ,d loky dk tokc [kkstus dh dksf'k'k djrs gSa
& Hkkjrh; cSyksa ds ihB ij dwcM+ D;ksa gksrk gS\º

The Hump On Nandi's Back

(It is the day of the annual cattle festival. Rama, son of the village head-
man, takes their great bull Nandi to graze, before the cattle procession
in the evening. Near a pond at the edge of the forest, beneath the Bo
tree of the village god, his friends of the jungle join him, one by one.
They try to answer the question why have Indian cattle humps on their
backs).
5
jke % ¶uUnh! ;g crkvks fd cSyksa dh ihB ij gh dwcM+ D;ksa gksrk
gS\ tjk HkSal dks ns[kksA vkSj m/j ?kksM+s dks ns[kksA mudh ihB rks
,dne piVh gSA¸

Rama: “Nandi! Why is it that only cattle have humps on their backs?
Look at that water buffalo. See that horse. Their backs are flat.”

6
rHkh jke dk dqÙkk eksrh nkSM+rk vkSj gkaiQrk gqvk vk;kA eksrh us dgk]
¶HkkSa] HkkSa! D;k rqEgsa irk gS & tc eSa fcYyh dks idM+us nkSM+rk gwa
rks og viuh ihB esgjkc tSls mQij mBkrh gSA uUnh dh ihB ds
lkFk Hkh 'kk;n ;gh gqvk gksxkA mls fdlh us Mjk;k gksxkA¸ mlds
ckn eksrh vkSj uUnh ikuh ihus pys x,A

Just then Rama’s dog Moti came bounding up, panting in his haste. He
said, “Bow, wow! You know how our cat arches up when I chase her.
That must have happened to Nandi’s back too. Something scared him.”
Moti and Nandi went to drink at the water trough.

7
¶Vj! Vj! Vj!¸ esa<d ikuh ls dwnrs gq, VjkZ;kA ¶gekjs cgknqj uUnh
dks Mjkuk dkiQh eqf'dy dke gSA dqN fnu igys 'ksj us iwjk ne
yxk;k] fiQj Hkh mls Hkxk ugha ik;kA vc lc ns[kks & eSa dSls
iQwydj dqIik gksrk gwaA eq>s yxrk gS fd uUnh us esjh rjg gh vius
dwcM+ esa gok Hkj yh gksxhA¸

“Chug-a-rum-rum-rum!” a frog croaked, leaping out of the water. “What

scares our Nandi? The other day even Sher the tiger couldn’t drive him
away. Now see how I swell up. Nandi must have filled the hump with air,
like me.”

8
;g lqudj cw<+k ukx ihiy ds isM+ dh tM+ ds fcy esa ls ckgj
fudykA ¶fgl! fgl!¸ mlus iQqadkjrs gq, dgk] ¶gok ls fliQZ Nkrh
Hkjrh gS] ihB ughaA eSaus ,d ckj eksVk pwgk fuxyk vkSj fiQj eSa iwjs
gÝrs lksrk jgkA rc esjk 'kjhj Hkh chp esa iQwy x;k FkkA uUnh us Hkh
t:j dksbZ eksVh pht fuxyh gksxhA¸

Old Naag, the Cobra crawled slowly out of his hole at the root of the Bo
tree. “Hiss! Hiss! Air fills up the chest, not the back. Once I swallowed a
big rat and slept for a week. There was a great lump about my middle.
Nandi gulped down something big, sure enough.”

9
¶gk! gk! gk!¸ Hkkyw ph[krs gq, taxy esa ls ckgj vk;kA ¶uUnh
ges'kk NksVh&NksVh phtsa gh [kkrk gSA rqEgsa D;k yxrk gS & mlus ,d
cM+k díw fuxyk gS\ fiNys lky eSaus e/qefD[k;ksa ds NÙks ls 'kgn
pqjk;k FkkA mlds ckn e/qefD[k;ksa us eq>s tedj dkVkA mlls esjk
psgjk ,d rjiQ cqjh rjg ls iQwy x;kA eq>s yxrk gS fd gekjs uUnh
dks Hkh fdlh us dkVk gksxkA¸

“Ho, ho ho!” roared Bhalu the bear, coming out of the forest. “Nandi
takes one little bite at a time. You think he swallowed a big pumpkin, do
you? Last year, I robbed a beehive. The bees stung me good and hard.
What a swelling I had on one side of my face. Sure, sure! Nandi was
stung.”

10
blh chp canj Hkh ihiy ds isM+ ls dwnrk gqvk uhps vk;kA ¶[kksa!
[kksa! [kksa! ns[kks] bl isM+ ds iQy [kkus ds ckn esjs uhps ds xky fdl
rjg iQwy tkrs gSaA uUnh ?kkl pjrk gSA mlus t:j ml ?kkl dks
vius dwcM+ esa fNik;k gksxkA fNih ?kkl dks gh og ckn esa /hjs&/
hjs djds pck,xkA ns[kks] og dSls ?kkl dh tqxkyh dj jgk gS\¸
¶rqe vkf[kj ,d ykyph canj dh rjg gh cksys]¸ jke us dgkµ
¶ns[kks] uUnh dk dwcM+ ges'kk ,d&tSlk gh jgrk gSA iQy [kkus ds
ckn rqEgkjs xky ,dne fipd tkrs gSaA ij uUnh dk dwcM+ fcYdqy
,d&leku gh jgrk gSA¸

Monkey came down with a leap from the Bo tree. “Whoop, whoop, whoop!
Look how the pouches under my jaw swell by suffering this tree’s fruit.
Nandi must have stored the grass he was grazing. If he hasn’t put it in
that hump of his, how does he get it back to chew his cud? Look he is
chewing the cud.”
“Spoken just like a greedy monkey,” said Rama. “That hump is always
the same size. Your pouches flatten out as you eat the fruit. Why doesn’t
Nandi’s hump go down then? Look Nandi, you tell us about the hump.”

11
uUnh us dgk] ¶eq>s yxrk Fkk fd ftl izdkj lHkh cSyksa ds lhax gksrs
gSa oSls gh lHkh cSyksa dk dwcM+ Hkh gksrk gksxkA dy eq>s ftyk&Lrjh;
izn'kZuh esa izFke iqjLdkj feykA ogka ij ;wjksi ls yk, dqN cSy Hkh
FksA eq>s os cSy dqN vthc yxs! muds lhax u Fks vkSj mudh ihB
,dne piVh] likV FkhA ;wjksi ds cSy ,d&nwljs ls iQqliQqlkdj
dg jgs Fks] ^tjk ns[kks ml dqcM+s cSy dks] ftls igyk bZuke feyk
gS!* eq>s bl lcds ihNs euq"; dh gh dkfjLrkuh utj vkrh gSA ihB
esa dwcM+ ds dkj.k cSy ij gy dk tqvk vPNh rjg cSBrk gSA
dwcM+ ds dkj.k gh eSa gy vkSj cSyxkM+h dks csgrj rjhds ls [khap
ikrk gwaA ;wjksi ds cSyksa us eq>s crk;k & muds ns'kksa esa tqrkbZ ds fy,
igys ?kksM+ksa dk mi;ksx gksrk FkkA vc [ksrksa dh tqrkbZ e'khuksa }kjk dh
tkrh gSA¸

Nandi said, “I used to think that all cattle have that hump, just as they
have horns. But yesterday I took first prize at the district exhibition. There
they had brought some European cattle. Very funny they looked to me!
No horns, and queer flat backs. They were muttering to each other.
“Just look! First prize to that big hunch backed bull! I think that you
humans must have done something to us cattle. The yoke fits easier
with this hump. I can draw the cart or the plough better. Those cattle told
me: In their country they hitch up horses. And now machines do the
work.”

12
jke us blls vlgefr trkbZ % ¶bl iqLrd ds vuqlkj Hkxoku f'ko
uUnh dh lokjh djrs gSaA Hkxoku us uUnh dh ihB ij dwcM+ blfy,
cuk;k ftlls og mlij >qddj dqN vkjke dj ldsaA ns[kks] bl
fp=k esa Hkxoku fdruh vklkuh ls uUnh ij lokjh dj jgs gSaA gekjs
xkao dk dqynsork rks Lo;a ;g ihiy dk isM+ gSA pyks] vc ihiy
ds isM+ ls gh uUnh ds dwcM+ dk dkj.k iwNrs gSaA¸
cw<+s ihiy ds isM+ us mÙkj fn;k % ¶uUnh us lgh gh dgkA euq";
us cSyksa dks vius fy, cuk;k gSA balkuksa us gh eksrh tSls dqÙks cuk,
gSaA balkuksa us gh /ku vkSj xsgwa cuk;k gSA lkFk&lkFk] euq"; us [kqn
dks Hkh cuk;k gSA¸

Rama didn’t agree: “This book says that our god Shiv rides Nandi. The
god made a hump on Nandi’s back to lean on in comfort. Look, here is
a picture of the god, riding at ease. Now our village god is in this very Bo
tree. Come, let us ask the Bo tree about Nandi’s hump.
The old Bo tree replied: “Nandi is right. Man made cattle like him. Man
made dogs like Moti. Man made rice and wheat. Man made himself
what he is, at the same time.”

13
jke % ¶;g dSls lEHko gS\ gekjk u;k ?kj fiNys o"kZ cuk FkkA dbZ
yksxksa us mls feydj cuk;k FkkA mlds fy, isM+ksa dks dkVk x;kA
fiQj yêòksa vkSj r[rksa dks yEckbZ esa dkVk x;kA blds fy, dbZ yksxksa
dks esgur djuh iM+hA mlds ckn iwjs Úse dks dhysa Bksaddj tksM+k
x;kA eSaus Nr ij iQwl fcNkus esa vius firkth dh enn dhA ijarq
geus uUnh dks dSls cuk;k\ og NksVs cNM+s tSlk iSnk gqvk Fkk vkSj
rHkh ls mlds ihB ij dwcM+ gSA nks lky igys eksrh ,dne NksVk
fiYyk FkkA eSaus cl bruk gh fd;k fd eka ls fuxkg cpkdj viuh
Fkkyh esa ls eksrh dks dqN viuk [kkuk f[kyk;kA geus rks eksrh dks
dqÙkk ugha cuk;kA vukt iSnk djus ds fy, geus [ksr esa fliQZ cht
cks,A blls cl pkj eghus esa gesa mlh izdkj dk cgqr lkjk vkSj
vukt feykA geus rks og vukt ugha cuk;kA¸

Rama: “How can that be? Our new house was built last year. Men made
that. Trees had to be cut down. The logs and planks were sawn to
length. That took many men. The whole frame was nailed together. I
helped father put on the thatch. But how did we make Nandi? He was
born a little calf, with a hump on his back. Moti was only a pup, year
before last. All I did was to feed him a little extra from my plate when
mother wasn’t looking. We didn’t make him a dog. The grain was planted
from the seed. In four months, we got lots more grain just like it. No one
made that.”

14
ihiy dk isM+ % ¶jke] rqe ,d cgqr gksf'k;kj yM+ds gksA ;gh
lh[kus dk vPNk rjhdk gS & cl iz'u iwNrs jgksA rc rd iz'u
iwNks tc rd rqe lp dh tM+ rd ugha igqapksA vc è;ku ls lquksA
eSa rqEgsa ogh crkus tk jgk gwa ftls eSaus [kqn viuh vka[kksa ls ns[kk gSA
vkt ls gtkjksa lky igys euq"; yxHkx mlh rjg jgrs Fks tSls vkt
rqEgkjk fe=k canj jgrk gSA os Hkkstu vkSj iQyksa ds fy, isM+ksa ij
p<+rsA os csj vkSj dqdqjeqÙks rksM+rsA os tehu ds vanj ls dan
[kksndj fudkyrsA euq"; fcYdqy Hkkyw dh rjg gh 'kgn bdêòk

Bo tree: “Rama, you are a bright lad. This is the way to learn. To go on
asking questions till you get at the truth. Now listen carefully. Let me tell
you what I saw with my own eyes. Thousands of years ago, men lived
almost like your friend monkey. They climbed trees for fruits and nuts.
They plucked berries and mushrooms. Yams came out of the ground.
Like Bhalu they would gather honey. They caught fish just as Bhalu

15
djrsA os dHkh&dHkh Hkkyw dh rjg gh vius iatksa ls eNfy;ksa dk
f'kdkj djrsA os ekal ds fy, vU; tkuojksa dk f'kdkj djrsA rc
u rks vkx Fkh] u gy vkSj u gh ?kj vkSj >ksifM+;kaA rc xkao Hkh
ugha FksA fiQj xzke&nsork dk loky gh iSnk ugha gksrk gSA yksx b/
j&m/j ls Hkkstu ,d=k dj viuk thou pykrs FksA ijarq vc yksx
viuk Hkkstu mxkrs gSaA¸
jke % ¶ij vxj ge bl izdkj th ldrs Fks rks fiQj geus D;ksa
Hkkstu mxk;k\ ns[kks] esjs firk vkSj cM+k HkkbZ [ksrksa ij fdruh esgur
djrs gSa! D;k ge bruh esgur fd, fcuk ftUnk ugha jg ldrs\¸

does with his paws, sometimes. They would kill other animals for meat.
No fire, no plough, no houses or huts. There were no villages. Of course
no village gods. They just lived by gathering food. Now they make it
grow.”
Rama: “But if you can live like that, why grow food? Look how hard father
and my elder brother work in the fields. Why can’t we live without such
hard work?”

16
ihiy dk isM+ % ¶gj le; i;kZIr ek=kk eas Hkkstu bdêòk djuk
lEHko ugha gksrk gSA dHkh&dHkh lw[kk iM+rk gS ftlls unh&ukys lw[k
tkrs gSaA eNfy;ka ej tkrh gSaA f'kdkjh tkuoj nwj&njkt pys tkrs
gSaA iQy Hkh ugha feyrs gSaA ,d ckr vkSj gS & iwjs lky Hkj phtsa
bdêòh djuk lEHko ugha gksrk gSA balku dks Hkkstu bdêòk djds mls
laHkky&latksdj j[kuk lh[kuk iM+kA ckfj'k ds ckn dh iQly
vDlj cgqr vPNh gksrh gSA vki iwjs lky ml iQly dk vukt
[kk ldrs gSaA vxj vf/d mit gksxh rks mlls T;knk yksx thfor
jg ik,axsA eSa viuh lcls mQij dh Vguh ls ikap cM+s xkaoksa dks ns[k
ldrk gwaA iqjkus tekus esa bl iwjs bykds esa eq>s ikap yksx Hkh utj
ugha vkrs FksA¸

Bo tree: “You can’t always gather enough food. There are bad years
when the streams dry up. No fish. The game moves away. There is no
fruit. Besides, you don’t gather things all the year round. Man had to
learn how to store food. You get some good crops after the rains. Then
you eat the grain for the whole year. If you grow good crops, more men
can live. From my top branch, you can see five big villages. In the old
days, I couldn’t see even five humans in all that land.”

17
jke % ¶Bhd gSA ij yksxksa us esjs eksrh tSls dqÙks D;ksa cuk,\¸
ihiy dk isM+% ¶iqjkus tekus esa f'kdkj ds le; HksfM+;s Hkh
vknfe;ksa dh rjg f'kdkj dk ihNk djrs FksA ;g ns[k euq";ksa us dqN
HksfM+;ksa ds cPpksa dks ikykA buesa ls vf/drj cM+s gksdj nqckjk
taxyh HksfM+;s cus vkSj pys x,A ijarq muesa ls dqN euq";ksa ds lkFk
jgus yxsA os yksxksa ds fy, f'kdkj dk ihNk djus yxsA blds cnys
esa yksx mUgsa cpk gqvk ekal vkSj gfîó;ka [kkus dks nsrsA bl izdkj
taxyh HksfM+;s ikyrw cusA vc ge mUgsa dqÙks ds uke ls tkurs gSaA¸
jke % ¶eq>s [kq'kh gS fd yksxksa us ,slk fd;kA vxj eksrh ugha gksrk
rks eSa Hkyk D;k djrk\ ijarq uUnh dh ihB ij dwcM+ fdl rjg
vk;k\ 'kk;n og 'kq: ls gh FkkA eq>s vHkh rd bl iz'u dk mÙkj
ugha feykA¸

Rama: “All right. But how and why did they make dogs like my Moti?”
Bo tree: “In hunting, wolves used to follow the game, just like men. Men
tamed some of the cubs. Mostly, when the cubs grew up, they became
wild wolves again. But some stayed with man. They chased wild game
for him. Men fed them with scraps of meat and the bones. So you got a
tame wolf. You call him Dog.”
Rama: “I am glad they did that. What would I do without Moti? But what
about the hump on Nandi’s back? We started with that. And you haven’t
told me the answer yet.”

18
ihiy dk isM+ % ¶euq";ksa ds fy, taxyh fgj.kksa dk yxkrkj ihNk
djuk dkiQh dfBu dke FkkA xk;&cSy Hkh taxyh tho FksA ijarq os
/heh xfr ls pyrs FksA euq"; ekal ds fy, mudk ihNk djrsA dqN
le; ckn mUgksaus eksrh dh rjg gh dqN xk;&cSy ds cNM+ksa dks Hkh
ikyrw cuk;kA blds fy, mUgksaus lcls rxM+s cNM+ksa dks pqukA muesa
ls dqN dh ihB ij NksVk dwcM+ FkkA dwcM+ ds dkj.k yksxksa dks vf/
d ekal feyrk FkkA blds fy, os yxkrkj dwcM+ okys cNM+ksa dks
pqurs jgs vkSj mUgsa HkjisV [kkus dks nsrs jgsA blls /hjs&/hjs dwcM+
cM+k gksus yxkA euq";kas dks dwcM+ okys xk;&cSyksa dks ikyrw cukuk
T;knk vklku yxkA xk;sa nw/ nsrhsaA vc /hjs& /hjs yksx f'kdkj
djus dh ctk; xk;&cSy ikyus yxsA bl rjg /hjs&/hjs uUnh tSsls
cM+s dwcM+ okys cSy fodflr gq,A¸

Bo tree: “Men found it hard to chase wild deer all the time. But cattle too
ran wild. Cattle moved more slowly. Men followed them for meat. Then
they found that some calves could be tamed, just like Moti. They took
the fattest. A few had small humps. A hump gives more meat. So, they
just went on picking out the humped calves, and fed them. That way, the
hump grew bigger. But men found that these humped cattle tamed
more easily. The cows gave milk. Instead of hunting, men began to
pasture herds. That is how you get big cattle with fine humps, like
Nandi.”

19
jke % ¶;g rks cgqr gksf'k;kjh dh ckr gSA ij ;g vukt dSls
fodflr gq,\¸
ihiy dk isM+ % ¶lfn;ksa igys eSaus yksxksa dks Hkw[k feVkus ds fy,
iÙks vkSj ?kkl ds cht [kkrs gq, ns[kk FkkA blds vykok [kkus dks
dqN vkSj ugha FkkA /hjs&/hjs mUgksaus lcls eksVs chtksa dks NkaVdj
vyx fd;kA lHkh ?kklsa ,d&tSlh ugha gksrh gSaA yksxksa us ik;k fd
vPNh ?kklsa lcls eqyk;e vkSj ueZ feêðh esa gh vPNh mxrh gSaA
eqyk;e feêðh lHkh txg ugha feyrh gSA ijarq vxj dan dks ,d
uqdhyh NM+ ls [kksndj fudkyk tk, rks vxys lky ml txg ij
vPNh ?kkl mxsxhA blh dkj.k yksxksa us eksVh ?kkl ds chtksa dks cksus
ds fy, tehu esa xî ôs [kksnus 'kq: fd,A yksx vxyh iQly ds fy,
ges'kk lcls eksVs cht gh cksrsA¸

Rama : “That was clever too. Now what about grain?”

Bo tree: “Ages ago, I used to see man eat leaves and grass seeds in
times of hunger. They got nothing else. Soon, they learned to pick out
the fattest grass seeds. All grasses are not alike. Man found that these
nice grasses grew best in soft ground. You don’t get soft ground very
often. But if you dig up yams with a sharp stick, the grass grows better
there next year. So, man made holes in the ground for fat grass seeds.
Always, they picked out the biggest seeds to plant next time.”

20
jke % ¶ge vukt ds chtksa dks rks bl rjg ugha cksrs gSaA ge gy
ls [ksr tksrrs gSaA yksxksa us gy dk mi;ksx djuk dSls lh[kk\¸
ihiy dk isM+ % ¶bls lh[kus esa mUgsa cgqr le; yxkA igys mUgksaus
uqdhyh NM+ ls tehu dh lrg dks [kqjpkA ijarq mlls dksbZ [kkl
iQk;nk ugha gqvkA oSls] dPpk vukt [kkus esa cgqr vPNk ugha gksrkA
blds fy, balku us vkx dh tkudkjh gkfly dhA 'kq: esa mUgsa
taxy dh Hkh"k.k vkx ls Mj yxrk FkkA os vkx vkSj taxyh thoksa

Rama: “We don’t plant grain that way. We use the plough. How did
people learn to use that?”
Bo tree: “It took them a long time. Firstly, they scratched the ground with
a stick. That didn’t help much. Also, raw grain isn’t good to eat. Men had
to find out about fire. They were afraid of the big forest fires. Men ran
away from the fire just like animals. Then they cooked food. With fire,
they could make clay pots too. For big furrows, they needed someone

21
dks ns[kdj Mj ls Hkkxrs FksA fiQj mUgksaus [kkuk idkuk lh[kkA os vkx
ls feêðh ds crZu idk ik,A tehu dh xgjh tqrkbZ ds fy, mUgsa
,slh pht dh t:jr Fkh tks vf/d rkdr ls [khap ldsA rc mUgksaus
gy ds Vs<+s iQy dks [khapus ds fy, cSyksa dk bLrseky djuk 'kq:
fd;kA gy dks [khapus ds fy, euq"; dks cM+s tkuojksa dh t:jr
FkhA blfy, mUgksaus tkuojksa dks ekal ds fy, ekjuk can fd;kA bl
izdkj mUgsa uUnh tSls cf<+;k vkSj rkdroj cSy feysA¸
jke % ¶tjk dYiuk djks esjs uUnh dks ekjus dh! fdruh csodwiQh
dh ckr gSA ij vHkh vkius euq"; }kjk [kqn vius fuekZ.k dk ftØ
fd;k FkkA¸

strong to pull. So, they started trying cattle to the big, crooked furrow
stick. That way, you get more food too. But men needed bigger cattle.
So, they stopped killing them for food and got fine strong bulls like
Nandi.”
Rama: “Just fancy eating my Nandi. How stupid. But you said some-
thing about man making himself. I thought the gods did that.”

22
ihiy dk isM+ % ¶eSaus vHkh rqEgsa crk;k fd fdl izdkj euq"; dks
vkx us Hk;Hkhr djuk can fd;kA 'kq: esa yksx vkx dks Hkxoku ds
:i esa iwtrs FksA /hjs&/hjs balkuksa us vkx cukuk lh[khA blds fy,
mUgksaus nks lw[kh ydfM+;ksa dks vkil esa jxM+kA fiQj mUgksaus eq>s vkSj
uUnh dks iwtuk 'kq: fd;kA geus euq"; dks Hkkstu fn;kA esjs iQy
vHkh Hkh [kkus ;ksX; gSaA ijarq vc yksxksa dks esjs NksVs HkkbZ vathj ds
iQy T;knk Lokfn"V yxrs gSaA vathj vkdkj esa cM+h vkSj ehBh gksrh
gSA oSls vathj dk isM+ NksVk vkSj detksj gksrk gSA mls vPNh feêðh
dh t:jr gksrh gS vkSj lkFk esa <sj ikuh dh HkhA taxy dh liQkbZ]
dVkbZ gqbZA ysfdu eSa HkkX;o'k cp x;kA dbZ ckj taxy esa vkx yxh
vkSj esjs ifjokj ds reke lnL; ekjs x,A eSa dbZ ckj cky&cky
cpkA yksx vkt Hkh vkx] uUnh vkSj esjh iwtk djrs gSaA ij vc ;g
iwtk&mikluk de gks jgh gSA geus euq"; dks ugha cuk;kA eSa ;g
ckr Li"V djuk pkgrk gwaA¸

Bo tree: “I told you how man stopped being afraid of fire. First he used
to worship Fire as a god, too. Soon, humans found out how to make
fire. They rubbed two sticks together. Then they started worshipping me
and Nandi. We gave them food. My fruits are still good to eat. But man
likes my little cousin Fig better. Figs are larger and sweeter. Only, fig is
a small tree, very weak. He needs good soil. Lots of water too. The
jungle has to be cleared, I grew by myself. Many times, the forest fires
burned down the rest of my family. I always grew again. People still
worship the fire and me, and Nandi. But not so much. We did not make
man, I tell you.”
23
jke % ¶fiQj fdlus cuk;k\¸
ihiy dk isM+ % ¶orZeku euq"; dks [kqn mlus gh cuk;k gSA 'kq:
esa og NksVk vkSj canj tSlk vPNk nksLr FkkA ijarq og fuLlgk; FkkA
vkx ds ckn mlus /krqvksa dks [kkstkA igys rkackA fiQj yksgkA mlls
igys euq"; us iRFkjksa ds vkStkj cuk,A yksxksa us f'kdkj ds fy,
rhj&deku cuk,A mUgksaus Hkkstu dks lafpr dj lqjf{kr j[kus ds
fy, Vksdfj;ka vkSj peM+s ds FkSys cuk,A eNfy;ka idM+us ds fy,
tky cuk,A bl izdkj yksxksa dks vf/d Hkkstu fey ik;kA [ksrh&ckM+h
dh dfBu esgur us euq"; dks cyoku cuk;kA yksx vius flj ij
Hkkjh cks> <ksus yxsA bl dkj.k yksx lh/s [kM+s gksdj pyus yxsA
yksxksa us >ksifM+;ka vkSj ?kj cuk,A os diM+s iguus yxsA iqjkus tekus
esa dbZ cM+s&cw<+s euq"; Hkh esjh Nkao rys uaxs jgrs FksA fcYdqy oSls
gh tSls rqe cpiu esa uax&/M+ax ?kwers FksA¸
jke % ¶xehZ ds fnuksa esa eq>s vHkh Hkh diM+s fcYdqy ugha lqgkrs gSaA
ijarq esjh eka eq>s uax&/M+ax nkSM+us ls euk djrh gSA vc eq>s vki
,d ckr vkSj crk,aA ;g Hkxoku dc vk,\¸

Rama: “Then who did?”

Bo tree: “Man made himself what he is. In the beginning, he was a nice
small, friendly creature like Monkey. But helpless. After fire, he found out
about metals. First copper. Then iron. Before that, he made his tools of
stone. He made bows and arrows for hunting. He made baskets and
leather bags for storing food. Nets for fishing. That way he got more
food. The heavy work of farming made him strong. He carries head
loads. That makes him walk upright. He made huts and houses. He
wears clothes. In the old days, even grown up people lived in my shade
naked. Just like you, when you were a baby.”
Rama: “I still don’t like many clothes when it is hot. But mother says not
to run about bare. Now tell me one more thing. When did the gods
come?”

24
ihiy dk isM+ % ¶igys yksxksa us phtksa ds mxus ds ckjs esa tkukA
mUgksaus mxrh phtksa dks vius mi;ksx ds fy, bdêòk fd;kA blls
yksxksa dks yxk fd lHkh phtksa dks dksbZ egku ekrk tUe nsrh gSA ge
vHkh Hkh dgrs gSa] ^i`Foh gekjh ekrk gSA* fiQj balku us bdêòh dh
xbZ phtksa ls dgha T;knk phtsa [kqn cukuk lh[khaA rc mlus lkspk]
^eq>s Hkh fdlh us cuk;k gksxk\* rc balkuksa us Hkxoku dks tUe fn;kA
yksxksa us dgk] ^Hkxoku us gj pht cukbZ gSA* ijarq eq>s vlyh lp
irk gSA eSa euq"; ds lHkh Hkxokuksa ls vf/d cw<+k gwaA eSaus euq"; dks
Lo;a [kqn dk fuekZ.k djrs gq, ns[kk gSA mls vHkh bl dke dks vkSj
vkxs c<+kuk gSA og dHkh&dHkh euq"; tkfr ds vU; yksxksa ds lkFk
cgqr Øwj O;ogkj djrk gSA¸

Bo tree: “First, man found that things grew. He gathered them for his
own use. So, he thought that everything was born from some great
mother. We still say, ‘This Earth is our Great Mother.’ Then man learned
to make many more things than he picked up. So he thought: ‘some-
body made me too’. So humans made up gods. But they said, ‘the
gods made everything’. I know better. I am older than all your gods. I
saw how man made himself. He has a long way to go yet. He is some-
times very cruel even to other men.”

25
vc 'kke <yus yxh FkhA jke dh eka ,d Vksdjh esa yky iQwy ysdj
vkbZA mlus Vksdjh dks rkykc ds fdukjs j[kkA fiQj mlus cw<+s ihiy
ds isM+ ds lkeus >qddj mldk ueu fd;kA jke dh fe=k&eaMyh
ogka ls f[kld yhA eka us dgk] ¶jke] b/j vkvksA tYnh rS;kj gksA
vkt jkr dks uUnh dks tywl esa lcls vkxs jguk gSA rqEgsa irk gS
fd uUnh vU; xk;&cSyksa ls igys iSnk gqvk FkkA pyks] uUnh dks ?kj
ys pydj mls ltk,aA¸ ❐

It was getting on to dusk. Rama’s mother came up with a basket of

fresh red flowers. She put the basket down by the spring. Then she
bowed down to the old Bo-tree. Rama’s friends left quietly. Mother said:
“Rama, come. Get ready. Nandi has to lead the great procession to-
night. You know he came before all the other cattle. Come, let us take
Nandi home and decorate him.” ❐

26
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