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## Pinḍaniyukti: An Observation
**157**
**25.5 cm** long and **13.3 cm** wide. It is clean and legible. It has **15** leaves. At the end of each leaf, "Mahalliyāpiṇḍanijjutti Sammattā Śrīrastu Shubhaṃ Bhavatu" is written, and the last page is blank. (s) This manuscript was obtained from the Śrī Hemchandrachāryā Jain Jñānamändira, Pāṭaṇa, Gujarāt. Its serial number is **3554** and leaf number is **22**. Despite being old, its letters are clear and legible. This manuscript should be from the latter half of the **14th century**. At the end, it mentions "Piṇḍanijjutti Sammattā || Ch ||". (mu) The variations in the text from the printed text in the commentary of Malayagiri are indicated by the symbol 'mu'. (ṭīpā) The variations in the text mentioned by the commentator in his commentary are indicated by ṭīpā.
**History of the Editing of Piṇḍaniyukti**
After the completion of the text editing of the Niyukti Pañcaka and the Āvashyaka Niyukti, it was necessary to edit the second part of the Āvashyaka Niyukti. However, in the intervening four years, I was busy traveling outside Lāḍanū and writing the history of the Samanasreṇī, so the work of editing the Āgama was almost abandoned. When the revered ones appointed me to this task again, I could not focus on it for many days. I took up the task of editing the Āvashyaka Niyukti many times, but due to its complexity, it was abandoned each time. Therefore, I started the work of Piṇḍaniyukti before the Āvashyaka Niyukti. Although the work of editing this text from manuscripts was completed in **1988**, when it was published, the text was compared with manuscripts obtained from Pāṭaṇa and Ahmedabad, which involved a lot of effort. After the Gaṅgāśahar Maryādā-Mahotsava, I started this work with the firm resolve to complete it by the next Āsīnda Maryādā-Mahotsava. From Diwali to the Maryādā-Mahotsava, I worked till midnight, even in the biting cold, but due to the extensive introduction, the work could not be completed within the stipulated time. Today, I am experiencing immense satisfaction at its completion. In this context, I firmly believe that such important tasks are possible only with the grace of the Guru, the blessings of the elders, and the strength of the Sangha. The individual is merely an instrument.
Although there were many obstacles and complexities in this work, they were overcome by the grace of the Guru. All the Āgama texts published till date have received the full cooperation and guidance of the Āgama scholar Muni Śrī Dulharājī. Although I did not have his direct presence this time, he had prepared the ground, which made this work easier. The translation of Piṇḍaniyukti was completed by his swift pen. I cannot diminish my debt to him by expressing my gratitude, because he not only provided guidance, but also taught me how to translate and how to focus on the task with unwavering commitment. Most of the annotations and the detailed introduction written on this text are the result of his efforts.