Years ago, a farmer named Kishan lived in Pital Nagar. He was somehow managing his household by working on the farm of a zamindar of the village.
Earlier Kishan also had farms, but due to ill health of his father, he had to sell all his farms. It was becoming difficult to get the father’s treatment and to run the household expenses with the money received in wages.
He would think every day how to improve the condition of the house. Even today, with the same thought, Kishan went out early in the morning to work on the landlord’s farm.
While digging, his spade hit some metal and there was a loud noise. Kishan thought that what is it like here? When he immediately dug that part, a big pot came out from there. Kishan was saddened to see Patila.
It occurred to Kishan that if these ornaments were there, the condition of my house would have improved a bit. Then Kishan thought that come on, now I will eat food. To eat food, Kishan threw his hand spade into that pot and started eating food after washing his hands and face. After finishing the meal, Kishan went to the vessel to pick up his spade.
Kishan was surprised as soon as he reached there. There was not one, but many spades inside that pot. He didn’t understand anything. That’s why he also threw a basket kept with him in that vessel. Even that one basket became many as soon as it went inside the pot. Seeing all this, Kishan became happy and took that magical vessel home with him.
He used to put some of his tools in that pot every day and when they were too much, he would go to the market and sell them. While doing this, the condition of Kishan’s house started improving. He earned a lot of money in this way and also got his father treated. One day Kishan bought some ornaments and put them in the pot. Those ornaments also became many. In this way, gradually Kishan started getting rich and he also stopped working as a laborer at the landlord’s place.
Seeing Kishan getting rich, Zamindar Mohan suspected Kishan. He directly reached Kishan’s house. There he came to know about the magic pot. He asked Kishan, “When and from whose house did you steal this pot?”
Kishan said in a scared voice, “Sir! I found this vessel while digging in the field. I have not stolen anyone’s house.
खेत में खुदाई की बात सुनते ही ज़मींदार ने कहा, “यह पतीला जब मेरे खेत से मिला, तो यह मेरा हुआ।” किशन ने जादुई पतीला ना लेकर जाने की बहुत मिन्नते कीं, लेकिन ज़मींदार मोहन ने उसकी एक नहीं सुनी। वो ज़बरदस्ती अपने साथ वो जादुई पतीला लेकर चला गया।
ज़मींदार ने भी किशन की ही तरह उसमें सामान डालकर उन्हें बढ़ाना शुरू किया। एक दिन ज़मींदार ने अपने घर में मौजूद सारे गहने एक-एक करके उस पतीले में डाल दिए और रातोंरात बहुत अमीर हो गया।
एकदम से ज़मींदार के अमीर होने की खबर पीतल नगर के राजा तक पहुँच गई। पता लगाने पर राजा को भी जादुई पतीले की जानकारी मिली। फिर क्या था, राजा ने तुरंत अपने लोगों को भेजकर ज़मींदार के यहाँ से वो पतीला राजमहल मंगवा लिया।
राजमहल में उस जादुई पतीले के पहुँचते ही राजा ने अपने आसपास मौजूद सामान को उसमें डालना शुरू दिया। सामान को बढ़ता देखकर राजा दंग रह गया। होते-होते आखिर में राजा खुद उस पतीले के अंदर चला गया। देखते-ही-देखते उस पतीले से बहुत सारे राजा निकल आए।
पतीले से निकला हर राजा बोलता, “मैं पीतल नगर का असली राजा हूँ, तुम्हें तो इस जादुई पतीले ने बनाया है।” ऐसा होते-होते सारे राजा आपस में लड़ने लगे और लड़कर मर गए। लड़ाई के दौरान वो जादुई पतीला भी टूट गया।
जादुई पतीले के कारण राजमहल में हुई इस भयानक लड़ाई के बारे में नगर में सबको पता चल गया। इस बात की जानकारी मिलते ही मज़दूर किशन और ज़मींदार मोहन ने सोचा, अच्छा हुआ कि हमने उस जादुई पतीले का इस्तेमाल सही से किया। उस राजा ने अपनी मूर्खता के कारण अपनी जान ही खो दी।
कहानी से सीख
जादुई पतीले की कहानी से दो सीख मिलती हैं। पहली कि मूर्खता का अंत बुरा ही होता है। दूसरी यह कि हर सामान का इस्तेमाल संभलकर करना चाहिए। अति हानिकारक हो सकती है।
