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The philosophical approach in India differs in many ways from our western tradition. If we want to attain a proper understanding of the
nature of Indian philosophy, we have to think in new patterns. In our philosophical tradition, religion and philosophy are considered to be different from each other, the western outlook being based on perception,
inference and logic. Indian philosophy includes this concept as well, but furthermore it provides philosophy with a new component, that is not familiar to western philosophy.
In India the distinction between religion and philosophy is not as clear and sharp as in our tradition. They rather put a high impact on the
interdependence between these two disciplines and on their necessity. The rational analysis of philosophical phenomena cannot exist without considering religion. The central and widening motive of Indian philosophy
is the concept of anubhati (self-experience with the ultimate reality, or god), the nature of god and the means of salvation being always the central point of interest.
The analysis of this problem is one of the subjects, Vishwanath D. Karad treats in his article. In a very comprehensible way he shows the distinctions
and the similarities between the two philosophical traditions. Besides this, he discusses the concept of Indian cosmology, the place of man and his ethical duties in cosmos as well as the importance of religious
scriptures like the Upanishads, Vedas, Bhagavat Gita and the like, his main point of interest being the interdependence between man and cosmos and the universal, idealistic concept of the holy scriptures.
The focus of this article is a critical analysis of Jnaneshvaras Philosophy. Jnaneshvara, who lived in the early medieval times in Maharashtra (western
India), left a strong impact on the social and religious life of people, which can be seen up to now. Karad gives a deep insight into the central points of his way of thinking, introducing his scriptures Jnaneshvari, Amritanubhava and Changadev Pasashti in a comprehensible and complex way. Besides this, he achieves to demonstrate the very particular features of his philosophy and emphasizes their universal necessity concerning the creation of a holistic, egalitarian and global society, living in harmony. This means the integration of religion, feeling and an emotional relation towards god (bhakti)
into life, including the acceptance of god as a manifestation of pure love and his existence in every single being.
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