Sloka 51
Sloka 51
Original Text:
ऋणमोचनकर्तारः पितुः सन्ति सुतादयः । बन्धमोचनकर्ता तु स्वस्मादन्यो न कश्चन ॥ ५१ ॥
Certainly! Let's delve into the given sloka:
- **Transliteration:**
ṛṇamocanakartāraḥ pituḥ santi sutādayaḥ | bandhamocanakartā tu svasmādanyo na kaścana || 51 ||
- **Translation:**
Sons and others can relieve a father of debts, but for liberation from bondage, no one other than oneself can be the doer.
- **Word Meanings:**
* ऋण (ṛṇa) - debt * मोचन (mocana) - release, liberation * कर्तारः (kartāraḥ) - doers * पितुः (pituḥ) - of the father * सन्ति (santi) - are * सुतादयः (sutādayaḥ) - sons and others * बन्ध (bandha) - bondage * मोचन (mocana) - release, liberation * कर्ता (kartā) - doer * तु (tu) - but * स्वस्मात् (svasmāt) - from oneself * अन्यः (anyaḥ) - other * न (na) - not * कश्चन (kaścana) - anyone
- **Commentary:**
This sloka highlights a profound Vedantic truth through a dichotomy between worldly responsibilities and spiritual liberation. In worldly matters like debts, external agents such as children or other relations can intervene to provide relief. This is because debts are external liabilities that can be transferred or fulfilled by someone else.
On the spiritual path, however, the scriptures assert self-effort and self-realization as sole means to liberation (moksha). Bondage here refers to the binding effects of ignorance, attachments, and karmic actions, which obscure one’s true nature as Brahman—the ultimate reality. Liberation is the removal of this ignorance, which only personal insight and transformation can achieve.
The sloka subtly emphasizes the importance of self-effort in spiritual practice, underscoring the individuality of the path to moksha. No external savior can bring about this internal realization; it must be pursued through personal discipline, introspection, and the guidance of a guru who catalyzes one’s own efforts. This perspective aligns with the core Vedantic view that the self is already free and it is ignorance that creates the illusion of bondage.
Further Readings: