Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.11
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Bombay, November 11, 1974
There is another similar verse that... Because we have given up the servitorship of Kṛṣṇa, we are servant of so many other things. We are obliged to serve, ṛṇī. Ṛṇī means debtor. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇām [SB 11.5.41]. We are debtor to so many persons. We are debtor to the demigods. Just like the sun is demigod. He's giving you heat and light. You are not paying any bill, but you are ad..., taking the advantage of the sunlight and sun heat. Now, if you take the advantage of electric light and heat, you have to pay bill. But here we don't pay bill. That means we are becoming debtor. If we don't pay bill anywhere, then we become debtor. So we are debtor to so many demigods. The sun is supplying heat and light. The king of heaven, Indra, he is supplying water. These rascals, they say it is coming by nature. It may come from nature, but nature is controlled. Just like we are getting water. If somebody says, "Oh, what is that? It is coming from the water tank. So where is the question of paying taxes or rent?" No. The water tank is being filled up by the Municipality. If you don't pay tax, it will be cut off. Similarly, don't think that the water is coming as your father's property. No. You are becoming debtor. You are becoming debtor. Therefore, if you don't pay debts, if you don't perform sacrifices, then there will be scarcity of water. And one day it will come there will be no water. That you expect. Because you are not paying any tax. You are thinking, "Water is coming, my father's property." No. Your father's property... That's all right. But you are not father's son at the present moment. You are māyā's son. You don't care for your father.