But Badarayana holds that the aforesaid Brahman is the bestower of rewards, because the reason for it is shown in the scripture. — 361.

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COMMENTARY

The word ‘but’ removes the doubt raised in the preceding Sutra. The holy Badarayana holds that the aforementioned Supreme Lord is the immediate giver of rewards. Why does he hold this view? Because the scripture gives the reason for this. The Prashna Upanishad says, (III., 2), «He leads him to the region of the best who does good deeds. He leads him to the region of the sinners who commits evil deeds». This Shruti clearly shows that the bestowing of rewards is the direct act of the Lord and not through the mediation of Dharma. Since Karmas cease to exist as soon as done, they exhaust their force and cannot be instruments in producing any result. Moreover, the very existence of Karma is dependent upon Brahman. For the texts say that Matter, Time, Karma, etc., are dependent upon Brahman. Thus it is proved that Brahman alone sets persons to do good or bad deeds, He is the causative agent in every Karma.

As to the reasoning that Karma, though ceasing to exist, leaves, an Apurva behind, and that such Apurva produces rewards, that is a lame reasoning. The Apurva or Adrishta is as much an insentient object as a clod of earth or a piece of wood, and it has no power to produce any effect. Nor do the scriptures mention any such thing as Apurva.

But, says an objector: The sacrifice go to propitiate Devas, and these Devas, being so propitiated, give the desired reward. The Supreme need not be dragged in to give the reward of sacrifices, which are done by inferior agents.

To this we reply. It is under the sanction of the Supreme Deva that these inferior Devas give rewards of action. This has been proved in the Antaryamin Brahmana where the Supreme Lord is declared to be the Inner Ruler of all Devas. Therefore, the Lord is the bestower of rewards. The blessed Shri Krishna himself has said so in the Gita (VII, 21-22):

Any devotee who seeketh to worship with faith any such aspect, I verily bestow the unswerving faith of that man.

He, endowed with that faith, seeketh the worship of such a one, and from him he obtained his desires, I verily decreeing the benefits.

It is, therefore, said that the Lord, propitiated by sacrifices, etc., gives the reward (either as a temporal bliss or liberation). Nor is there any limit to the generosity of the Lord. Propitiated with devotion, he may give Himself even to his devotee, as will be taught later on in in., 4. 1.

Thus in these two Padas (III., 1 and 2) have been shown the means of attaining Brahman which consist in a deep yearning (Literally, thirst) to reach Brahman, and equally strong disgust for anything other than Him: and which mental attitude is, acquired by contemplating over the multifarious attributes of the Supreme Self, such as His having the form of Pure Intelligence, His being the Controller of the whole Universe and by realising that he is free from all faults, while this world is full of all faults, in the shape of birth, pain and death.

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