The System of the Vedanta according to Badarayana's Brahma-Sutras and Cankara's Commentary c8.s5.t3.6

c8.s5.t3.6

(p. 683, 2:) “God causes the soul to act, but in so doing “he has regard to the efforts made by it towards good or “evil; hence the objections raised do not hold good. The good “and evil done by the soul is unequal; having regard to this “God divides the corresponding fruits unequally, for he like “the rain is only the efficient cause (*nimittam*). For as in “life the common cause of different bushes and shrubs, of rice, “barley, etc. that spring each from their own seed, which is “not common to all, is the rain, because without rain their “differences in respect of sap, blossom, fruit, leaf, etc. could “not develop any more than they could without the special “seed of each sort—so God, having regard to the efforts made “by the souls, apportions good and evil (*śubha-aśubham*) among “them.—But can this regard to the efforts made by the “souls exist together with the dependence of all activity on “God?—Certainly! For though the activity depends on God, “it is only the soul that acts (*karoti*), while God causes it to “act (*kārayati*) when it acts; and as He now in causing it to “act pays regard to former efforts, so too He in causing it “to act formerly had regard to still earlier efforts; for Saṃ- “sāra is without beginning.”