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yajvan
24 January 2011, 08:11 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté
It is said there are 3 debts or sacred duties:


ṛṇa traya
ṛṇa = anything due , obligation , duty , debt
traya= 3

The 3 debts or obligations are:

the debt to the to the ṛṣi-s ( seers) is brahmacarya or study of the vedas
the debt to the devatā is yajña (or sacrifice and worship)
the debt to the pitṛ-s¹ ( ancestors) is procreation of a son , some say worthy off-spring Some add two more (pañcā-ṛṇa in total or 5 debts)

dāna - gifts or benevolence to others that deserving
hospitality to guests that arrive to one's homeNow my question to our esteemed HDF members. Who owns these debts? Who has the obligation to fulfill them within the 4 fold order (cātur-varṇyaṁ) ?

brahmaṇa-s
kṣatriya-s
vaiśya-s
śudra-s praṇām

words
pitṛ-s ( pitri-s, some call manes) - the fathers , forefathers , ancestors; the pitṛ-s or deceased ancestors.
Two types are considered:

the deceased father , grandfathers and great-grandfathers
the progenitors of mankind in general

Sahasranama
24 January 2011, 09:14 PM
Namaste Yajvan,

As far as I know, the three debts are acknowledged during upanayana sanskara. The three cords of the yajnopavitam are symbolic for the three debts. This means that this debt is meant for the dvijas (brahmins, kshatriyas and vaishyas). Rishi rina is fulfilled in brahmacharya ashrama, pitri rina in grihasta ashrama. In most sampradayas the yajnopavitam is discarded when taking sannyasa, this means that the sannyasin is free from all three debts.

saidevo
25 January 2011, 10:33 AM
namaste everyone.

More details about the three debts can be found here:
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=4027