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## Pinḍaniyukti: An Observation
The author of the Pinḍaniyukti has often explained the reasons behind the topics discussed. For example, he has given reasons why clothes should be washed before the rainy season, and also discussed the harms caused by washing them during the rainy season. (See the translation of Pinḍi Gā. 20 and 21). He has mentioned the reasons for eating, and also explained the reasons for not eating.
After studying the Pinḍaniyukti literature, it can be clearly said that the author's main goal was to present the subject matter, not to create any poetry. Therefore, he paid less attention to the meters and focused more on presenting the facts.
The use of stories is a stylistic feature of the author. He often used narratives to explain the subject matter. Some of these stories are related to kings, queens, ministers, or merchants, while others show the influence of the Panchatantra. It seems that, except for some historical and fictional stories related to animals and birds, the author has presented the narratives or illustrations based on events that occurred in his time.
In the Pinḍaniyukti, apart from historical stories, the names of places or individuals are rarely mentioned in the stories. However, the commentator has often mentioned the names of villages, cities, or districts, and the names of the related individuals in the stories. It seems likely that the commentator has mentioned the names of the locations and individuals in a fictional way to give the event the form of a story, such as the names of the four sons and four daughters-in-law of Sagaradatta Shreshthi in the Govatsa illustration. However, further discussion is needed on this topic.
Except for some historical stories like Chanakya, Arya Samiti, or Padalipta, most of the narratives are not found in the Āgama-vyākhyā-sāhitya. Some of these narratives are found in the Nishīth Bhāṣya and Jītakalpa Bhāṣya. This is because these chapters have been transferred from the Pinḍaniyukti.
The understanding of animals and birds in the stories mentioned in the Pinḍaniyukti is presented in a highly developed form. The deer leader tells the deer that this is not the season for the Śrīparṇī fruits to ripen. Even if they ripen, there are not so many fruits in the summer season. Therefore, this is a trick by some cunning person. The monkey leader also explains to the monkeys that this Draha is not harmless because there are footprints of carnivores going into the Draha, but there are no footprints coming out. In the context of the Grāsaiṣaṇā fault, the fish itself tells a courageous story from its own mouth. Here, the author has used the concept of shadowism beautifully.
1. Pinḍi 53/1-54, Mavṛ P. 30, 31.
2. Pinḍi 236/1-3, Mavṛ P. 146.