musings 291

My religious faith emphasizes the principle that one cannot get anything for free..

And if I receive any benefits, material or spiritual, from anyone either on my request or given to me without me asking for it, and I do not provide adequate recompense, I get indebted.. My material, moral or spiritual capital to that extent stands transferred to my direct or indirect benefactor. And my own accumulated spiritual wealth gets depleted to that extent.

Giving Dhaanams (gifts), Dakshinas, etc for Phalasweekaram (with a view to receive the favourable results of a sacred ritual)(फलस्वीकारं) is part based this logic..

Anyway, we can never adequately pay back to our parents, elder relatives and friends for all that they did in providing us material benefits and means of life or livelihood, in sharing with us knowledge and many other bounties. That makes us eternal debtors.

There are many debts that can never be repaid.

That is why we acknowledge Pitru rinam,(पितृ ऋण) Deva rinam,(देव ऋण) Rishi rinam.(ऋषि ऋण..etc (Indebtedness to Ancestors, Indebtedness to Gods and Indebtedness to Sages) and we try to repay continuously , although inadequately just by living a useful and productive life.

We are committing grave sin if we forget our roots.