The Lord’s Supremacy or Swatantra is beyond all scrutiny and none can ask Him to explain why He punishes or graces a particular jivatma or why He grants moksha. As far as the jivatma is concerned, the cause of bondage is papa. But Vedanta Desika says that whatever stands in the way of moksha is papa and this includes both punya and papa karma, pointed out Asuri Sri Madhavachariar in a discourse. Both are after all binding chains. If papa is an iron chain, punya is a golden chain since the effects of both will have to be enjoyed. Either way, we will have to be born again and again. There never seems to be an end for this.
But there is hope for the jivatma in the Lord’s promise in the Charama Sloka. One can even give up the upasanas that are difficult to follow and merely surrender to Him. He promises the jivatma who seeks His help in surrender to absolve him of all sins and thereby free him from eternal bondage. Only the Lord whose uniqueness is His Absolute Swatantra can make such a promise and also keep it up. Owing to His Supremacy, He is the sole granter of Moksha. Earlier He makes known to Arjuna His Omniscience, Sarvajnatva, when He tells him that He knows about all the countless births taken by the countless jivatmas while the jivatma is ignorant about these matters. He also speaks of the Jiva’s need to be aware of the immortal nature of the soul and understand that the sarira is destructible. The jiva should also learn to differentiate between the chetana, the achetana and Ishwara Tatva. This knowledge will reveal many truths about our worldly existence. For instance, we will come to know that our priority should be moksha rather than worldly enjoyments. His swatantra or absolute independence is the cause for both bondage and moksha.
