The Self and Freedom in Relation to Indian Knowledge System (IKS): An Epistemological and Metaphysical Inquiry of G. R. Malkani’s Philosophy

Abstract

The question of the Self (ātman) and its relation to freedom and knowledge have been central to Indian philosophy from the earliest Upaniṣadic speculations to the sophisticated metaphysical systems of classical Vedānta. Malkani, a prominent twentieth-century Indian philosopher, reinterprets classical Advaita Vedanta in the light of modern epistemological and metaphysical concerns, emphasizing the identity of Self and knowledge, and the realization of freedom as the summum bonum of human existence.  Freedom holds a significant position in both traditional and modern Indian Philosophy. The idea of freedom is primarily ethical and spiritual for traditional Indian philosophers, but for modern Indian philosophers it is not completely ethical it is metaphysical and existential. They hold that men possess both metaphysical and existential freedom. This paper critically examines G.R. Malkani’s epistemological framework, focusing on his conception of the self and its relationship to knowledge and freedom as articulated in his seminal works such as Metaphysics of Advaita Vedanta and Philosophy of the Self. Malkani posits that the self is a substantial, self-aware entity, distinct from the empirical self-known through knowledge of objects. Central to his thought is the notion of unitive knowledge, which transcends the subject–object dichotomy and affirms the Self as self-luminous and identical with Brahman.  He argues that knowledge is not merely a quality of the self but constitutes its essential intelligence. This analysis explores Malkani’s arguments, situating them within the broader context of Advaita Vedānta philosophy and comparing them with contemporary epistemological and metaphysical perspectives.