The Heterodox Insider K. Satchidananda Murty: A Critique of His The Indian Spirit

Abstract

The intent of this study is to make a vigilant reading of Kotta Satchidananda Murty with special reference to his The Indian Spirit that has much relevance in today’s philosophical discourse in India. This study also aims at showing how the works of contemporary Indian thinkers excite one to search for new philosophical avenues by basing oneself on the tradition, yet creating ideas anew. The first part of the paper is an epigrammatic unearthing of the central ideas in K. Satchidananda Murty’s The Indian Spirit, while the second part is my analysis of the strengths and limitations of Murty, the heterodox insider of The Indian Spirit. In the third part, by taking cue from Murty’s The Indian Spirit, I conclude with submission that Indian philosophical tradition is like a ‘salad bowl’ with its unique diversity and plurality. A thorough reading of Murty would make one consider him as a ‘heterodox insider’ in Indian philosophy in general, and Hindu tradition in particular. One of the major points that he brings home is a counteractive to the uninformed generalization about Indian thought that the philosophical tradition of India was one of an unbroken idealism or spiritualism. According to Murty, Philosophy in India has been like a ‘salad bowl’ where different convictions and ideologies find their place and significance without getting merged into a ‘melting pot’ of uniformity. A vigilant reading of Murty makes it clear that he had a critical, not a conventional-conformist, view with regard to Indian philosophy, and this stands out to be the philosophical ingenuity in him. However, the ‘heterodox insider’ one finds in Murty is context-sensitive and sounds like an apologetic occasionally.