Lessons That Linger: 28. Pancha Rina 20 09 2025

Pancha Rina 20 09 2025

Maybe because I am an accountant by training that I appreciate the concept of rina, the Sanskrit word for debt or obligation.  No asset can be created without liability, as even the capital contributed by the owners is a residual debt.  In contrast to lenders who have a fixed claim for their loans and interest, owners get the residue. If successful, they get higher than their contribution, and lesser or even lose everything if otherwise.

Given this understanding, it is natural for me to appreciate that born in this world we would also have debts to be discharged. The concept of pancha-rina, or five debts captures the essence of what a human is expected by the Sanatana Dharma to do in their lifetime. The five debts capture different facets of life making it comprehensive.

1. Deva-rina or debt to the creator is the first debt. This in essence means being respectful of all living beings and treating them with fairness that we would expect if our positions were reversed.
2. Pitru-rina or debt to ancestors. This is based on the belief that we as individuals are only a chain in the link between our ancestors and our descendants. Our debt is discharged when we have off-springs and make our off-springs aware of their pancha-rinas.
3. Guru-rina or debt to our teachers. Guru is made up of two syllables, gu meaning darkness and ru meaning destroyer. A guru is destroyer of darkness or ignorance by leading us to knowledge. Our debt to our guru is to preserve the knowledge we have learnt and where possible, add to the sea of knowledge.
4. Nara-rina or debt to our fellow citizens. We live in society and our basic duty is to respect the rights of others to live and follow socially accepted, ethical norms to ensure we do not infringe on the right of others to live.
5. Bhuta-rina or debt to our environment. We live as a part of the universal eco-system, and we have a debt to care for our environment. The least we can do is to minimize our impact on nature and the next step is to help conserve and regenerate the nature for next generations.    

Reflecting on the pancha-rina concept, I see a broader framework for individuals to consider while drafting their own personal Constitution. Further none of these are absolute prescriptions. Rather they are directional and only define a starting point which is our birth, and a direction to head towards. How far we travel is left to each one of us to decide and pursue.