By: Devakinanda Pasupuleti
According to Hinduism, every human being is said to be born with three ruṇas or debts. The idea of ruṇaṫraya has been hinted at even in the Ṛigveda. However it is more explicit in the later Vedic literature like the Ṫaiṫṫirīya Saṃhiṫa- and the Śaṫapatha Brāhmaṇa. These three ruṇas are:-deva -ruṇa (debt to gods); pitru- ruṇa (debt to forefathers) and rishi -ruṇa (debt to the sages).
The first is repaid by the performance of yajnās or Vedic sacrifices; the second by begetting sons and doing śhrāddhās or ceremonies, and the third by svādhyāya (study of the Vedas) and tapas (practicing austerities).
Deva -ruṇa may be repaid by worship of gods like Sūrya, Prajāpaṫi and Indra. Usually this is by a daily sacrifice offered in a consecrated fire; if one is unable to perform yajnās;, fasting and other types of austerities will also do. Since these gods give us rain, crops and prosperity they have to be satiated.
Pitru-ruṇa consists of offering rice balls (called pinḍa) and water (arghya) in pitruyajnās. By these offerings, they are satisfied and bless their descendants who are performing this sacrifice.
Rishi-ruṇa, also called Rishiyajna or Brahmayajna ('Brahma' meaning the Vedas) is sacrifice to the rishis or sages. Since they have the knowledge of the Vedas, it is the householder's duty to recite the Vedas and also teach them to his children and disciples. This is the yajna by which they are pleased.
Sometimes two more ruṇas are added: brāhmaṇa -ruṇa (repaid by giving gifts to brāhmaṇas) since they perform many religious rites for us), and ātma -ruṇa (debt to the jīvātma, repaid by taking care of the body-mind-sense complex properly).
The Āḋiparva of Mahābhārata mentions an interesting aspect of debt bhūtayajna, by not being cruel to other living beings, since we can live here only by the goodwill of others. These are repaid by feeding hungry human beings that may visit the house, along with feeding domestic and other animals. By performing these daily sacrifices, the householder is actually repaying his debts to the divine beings and society, from whom he has received help and sustenance. These also help him offset the sins he commits (unknowingly and unwillingly) while using implements in his house- like the pestle and mortar, domestic fire, grinding stone, etc., wherein violence is perpetrated on life through the killing of ants, worms and so on.
The only nation on the planet that reminds us about these debts is 'Ruṇavimochaka Bhūmi'.
