ऋणैस्त्रिभिर्द्विजो जातो देवर्षिपितृणां प्रभो । यज्ञाध्ययनपुत्रैस्तान्यनिस्तीर्य त्यजन् पतेत् ॥ ३९ ॥
ṛṇais tribhir dvijo jāto devarṣi-pitṝṇāṁ prabho yajñādhyayana-putrais tāny anistīrya tyajan patet
- ṛṇaiḥ
- with debts
- tribhiḥ
- three
- dvi-jaḥ
- a member of the twice-born classes
- jātaḥ
- is born
- deva
- to the demigods
- ṛṣi
- sages
- pitṝṇām
- and forefathers
- prabho
- O master (Vasudeva)
- yajña
- by sacrifice
- adhyayana
- study of scripture
- putraiḥ
- and (begetting) children
- tāni
- these (debts)
- anistīrya
- not liquidating
- tyajan
- leaving (his body)
- patet
- he falls down
Dear Prabhu, a member of the twice-born classes is born with three kinds of debts — those owed to the demigods, to the sages and to his forefathers. If he leaves his body without first liquidating these debts by performing sacrifice, studying the scriptures and begetting children, he will fall down into a hellish condition.