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It is essential to repay the four debts of life – Know what they are

June 09, 2025 Monday

It is essential to repay the four debts of life – Know what they are

According to Hinduism, when a person is born, they have four special obligations. These obligations are called “debts.” According to Hindu scriptures, every human must repay these debts. These religious debts are essentially duties and responsibilities one has towards others. These may be towards ancestors, deities, teachers, parents, or others. Let’s understand what these debt of life are and why it is necessary to repay them…

Deva Debt

The first debt is Deva Debt, which is connected to our sustainer Lord Vishnu. This debt also includes all deities who play a role in our sustenance and care. You can repay this debt only by maintaining a righteous character. Keep giving in charity. Do not hoard more wealth than needed and keep walking on the path of righteousness. Take proper care of the people who depend on you.

Brahma Debt

The second debt is Brahma Debt. This debt is connected to Lord Brahma, who created this world. He made no discrimination among his creations. Life is possible only because of that God, and the only condition to repay this debt is to return this life to Him in the same pure form in which He gave it. You can keep your soul enlightened and pure by studying holy scriptures like the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Gita.

These scriptures keep your soul aware and uplifted. If you fail to repay this debt, your life gradually gets surrounded by deep troubles, and after death, you receive no help of any kind. People also call Brahma Debt the Earth’s debt, which children repay. If a person abandons their religion and lineage, this debt follows them as misfortune until the end of the lineage, because this debt is linked to Brahma and His sons. Another way to reduce this debt is to avoid any discrimination among the children of Brahma, neither based on caste nor on religion.

Ancestor Debts of life

This debt is connected to our ancestors. Ancestor Debt comes in various forms because our actions and soul hold ties with many relatives, such as mother, father, siblings, wife, son, daughter, etc. For example, when maternal debt accumulates, peace in the home gets disturbed. With a sister’s debt, jobs or business never become stable.

With a brother’s debt, even after achieving success, there remains a chance of losing everything. You usually face these hardships between the ages of 28 to 36. Essentially, parents dedicate their entire lives to raising us and endure hardships for us, so it becomes our utmost duty to serve them to repay this debt. When Pitru Paksha arrives, perform offerings and Pind Daan for your ancestors. Performing Shraddha is also a key part of repaying this debt. Also, inform your children about your ancestors and keep your traditions alive.

Guru Debt of life

A Guru plays a huge role in our lives. Without their guidance, we cannot lead a good life. Therefore, repaying Guru Debts of life is absolutely necessary. You can repay this debt only when you share the knowledge received from the Guru with others, not keeping it limited to yourself, and do so without expecting any gain. These four debts hold immense importance in our lives, and if you do not repay them, your future and spiritual journey can become painful.