Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 40

Kurukṣetra Pilgrimage: Sages Praise Kṛṣṇa; Vasudeva Inquires on Karma; Viṣṇu-yajña Performed

Devanagari script

त्वं त्वद्य मुक्तो द्वाभ्यां वै ऋषिपित्रोर्महामते । यज्ञैर्देवर्णमुन्मुच्य निर्ऋणोऽशरणो भव ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

tvaṁ tv adya mukto dvābhyāṁ vai ṛṣi-pitror mahā-mate yajñair devarṇam unmucya nirṛṇo ’śaraṇo bhava

Translation

But you, O magnanimous soul, are already free from two of your debts — those to the sages and the forefathers. Now absolve yourself of your debt to the demigods by executing Vedic sacrifices, and in this way free yourself completely of debt and renounce all material shelter.

Synonyms

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्गे (m.)/सामान्यलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• मुक्तः: freed/released
• मुक्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + क्त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘त्वम्’)

• द्वाभ्याम्: by two (debts)
• द्वाभ्याम्: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), द्विवचन (Dual)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphatic particle)

• ऋषि-पित्रोः: of the sages and the forefathers
• ऋषि-पित्रोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative): ‘ऋषयः च पितरः’; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (possessive): ‘महती मतिः यस्य सः’; पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• यज्ञैः: by sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• देव-ऋणम्: debt to the gods
• देव-ऋणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी): ‘देवानाम् ऋणम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• उन्मुच्य: having freed (oneself) from
• उन्मुच्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action): ‘having released/paid off’

• निः-ऋणः: debtless
• निः-ऋणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + ऋण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष/नञ्-सदृश (privative): ‘ऋणं नास्ति यस्य’; पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘त्वम्’)

• अ-शरणः: without refuge/independent
• अ-शरणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-तत्पुरुष (negative): ‘शरणं नास्ति यस्य’; पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• भव: become/be
• भव: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the debts (ṛṇa) to sages, ancestors, and demigods?

This verse explains that one becomes relieved of obligations to sages and forefathers, and should also clear the demigod-debt through yajña—ultimately becoming fully free from all debt and dependent only on the Supreme.

Who is being advised to perform yajñas to clear deva-ṛṇa in Bhagavatam 10.84.40?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī, while narrating the events of Canto 10 Chapter 84, gives this instruction as a dharmic principle: after fulfilling duties to sages and ancestors, one should also satisfy the demigods through sacrifice and then live in complete spiritual dependence on the Lord.

How can I apply the teaching of becoming nirṛṇa (free from debt) in modern life?

Honor learning and teachers (ṛṣi-ṛṇa), care for family lineage and elders (pitṛ-ṛṇa), and live responsibly with gratitude (deva-ṛṇa); then cultivate single-pointed reliance on God rather than worldly supports.