free from debts / obligatons

We are indebted to the demigods, to the forefathers, to the sages, to the animals and to society in general. It is our duty to repay them all by proper discharge of service. But by the one stroke of devotional service, if someone gives up all obligations

The same thing is still more emphatically confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eleventh Canto, 5th Chapter, 37th verse, in which Karabhajana Muni addresses Maharaj Nimi as follows: "My dear King, if somebody gives up his occupational duties as they are prescribed for the different varnas and asramas, but takes complete shelter, surrendering himself unto the lotus feet of the Lord, such a person is no more a debtor, nor has he any obligation to perform the different kinds of activities we render to the great sages, ancestors, living entities and family and society members. Neither has he any need to bother executing the five kinds of yajnas [sacrifices] for becoming free from sinful contamination. Simply by discharging devotional service he is freed from all kinds of obligations." The purport is that as soon as a man takes his birth, he is immediately indebted to so many sources. He is indebted to the great sages because he profits by reading their authoritative scriptures and books. For example, we take advantage of the books written by Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva has left for us all the Vedas. Before Vyasadeva's writing, the Vedic literature was simply heard, and the disciples would learn the mantras quickly by hearing and not by reading. Later on, Vyasadeva thought it wise to write down the Vedas because in this age people are short-memoried and unable to remember all the instructions given by the spiritual master. Therefore, he left all the Vedic knowledge in book form, such as the Puranas, Vedanta, Mahabharata and Srimad-Bhagavatam. (More...)

There are many other sages, like Sahkaracarya, Gautama Muni, Narada Muni, etc., to whom we are indebted because we take advantage of their knowledge. Similarly, we are obliged to our forefathers because we take our birth in a particular family, where we take all advantages and inherit property. Therefore, we are indebted to the forefathers and have to offer them pinḍa (prasadam) after they are dead. Similarly, to the people in general we are also indebted, as well as to our relatives, friends and even animals such as cows and dogs who render us so much service. (More...)

In this way, we are indebted to the demigods, to the forefathers, to the sages, to the animals and to society in general. It is our duty to repay them all by proper discharge of service. But by the one stroke of devotional service, if someone gives up all obligations and simply surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is no longer a debtor, nor obliged to any other source of benefit. (More...)

In the Bhagavad-gita also the Lord says: "Give up all your occupations and just become surrendered unto Me. I give you assurance that I shall give you protection from all sinful reactions." One may think that because he is surrendering unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he will not be able to perform all of his other obligations. But the Lord says repeatedly, "Don't hesitate. Don't consider that because you are giving up all other engagements there will be some flaw in your life. Don't think like that. I will give you all protection." That is the assurance of Lord Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita. (More...)

There is additional evidence in the Agastya-samhita: "As the regulative principles of scripture are not required by a liberated person, similarly a person who is engaged duly in the service of Lord Ramacandra is also not required to discharge the ritualistic principles which are indicated in the Vedic supplimentaries." In other words, the devotees of Lord Ramacandra, or Krsna, are already liberated persons and are not required to follow all the regulative principles mentioned in the ritualistic portions of the Vedic literature. (More...)

Whoever engages in the devotional service of the Lord in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness becomes freed of all debts to the sages, demigods and forefathers, to whom everyone is generally indebted.

The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases-impersonal Brahman, Paramatma and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. All of these are one and the same truth, but Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan constitute three different features. Whoever understands Brahman is called a brahmana, and when a brahmana engages in the Lord's devotional service, he is called a Vaisnava. Unless one comes to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his realization of impersonal Brahman is imperfect. A brahmana can chant the Hare Krsna mantra on the platform of namabhasa, but not on the platform of pure vibration. When a brahmana engages in the Lord's service, fully understanding his eternal relationship, his devotional service is called abhidheya. When one attains that stage, he is called a bhagavata or a Vaisnava. This indicates that he is free from contamination and material attachment. This is confirmed by Bhagavad-gita (7.28): (More...)

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