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## Pinḍaniyukti: An Observation
Commentator Malayagiri has mentioned the commentator or the author of the commentary at 18 places. Based on this mention, it can be assumed that the Pinḍaniyukti existed independently for some time even after the commentary was written. However, based on Malayagiri's mention, it cannot be assumed that there are only as many commentary verses as the number of verses mentioned by Acharya Malayagiri as the commentator. This is because it is not necessary for the commentator to mention the commentator at all places.
The number of commentary verses should be more than the number of published commentaries because in the published commentaries, wherever the commentator has mentioned the commentary verse, the verse numbers have been added in front of those verses. However, after a thorough study of the Pinḍaniyukti, it is concluded that it should have 324 verses of the Pinḍaniyukti. Most of the remaining verses are verses from the commentary or verses from other texts that have been added according to the context of the subject.
Although it is extremely difficult to distinguish between two texts written in the same language style, an attempt has been made to separate the verses from the Pinḍaniyukti verses, which is an initial but laborious task. As mentioned at the beginning of the commentary verses, it cannot be claimed that this separation has been done perfectly. However, this first attempt will surely be a guiding light for future researchers. In this context, some lines from a conversation sent by internationally renowned scholar Dalsukh Bhai Malvaniya to Acharya Tulsi on 25.1.85 are worth quoting: "Samani Kusumprajna has done the work of separating the Pinḍaniyukti from the commentary with great effort. This is her first attempt, yet she has made every effort to reach the truth. By going before the scholars, they will be able to critically evaluate it, which will facilitate decision-making and revision in its second edition. It is not possible to separate the Pinḍaniyukti without hard work. I am very impressed by the effort and intelligence she has used in this work. Therefore, I commend and approve this initial effort."
The points on which the attempt has been made to determine the number of verses of the Pinḍaniyukti have been given critical footnotes at almost all places in the text editing. Footnotes have also been given below regarding the verses about which there was a doubtful situation. For the convenience of researchers, some of the major criteria for separation are being presented here. Commentator Malayagiri has been a guide in knowing the projected part, paving the way. He has made a beautiful attempt to connect the subject at the beginning of the verses. Through the commentary, it becomes known how many verses have been explained in which part of which verse. For this, Malayagiri's commentary...