फलमतः, उपपत्तेः ॥ ३८ ॥
phalamataḥ, upapatteḥ || 38 ||
phalam—Fruits of actions; ataḥ—from Him; upapatteḥ—for that is reasonable.
38. From Him (the Lord) are the fruits of actions ; for that is reasonable.
Having described the nature of Brahman, the author proceeds now to discuss the view of the Mimamsakas, who say that Karma (work) and not Īswara gives the fruits of one’s actions. According to them(?) it is useless to set up an Iswara for this purpose, since Karma itself can give that result at a future time.
This Sutra refutes it and says that from Iswara alone come the fruits cf one’s work. Karma is insentient and short-lived, and cannot therefore be expected to bestow the fruits of actions at a future time according to one’s deserts. We do not see any insentient thing bestow fruits on those who worship it. Therefore it is only from the Lord, who is worshipped through actions, that their results proceed.