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The subject-matter, volume and sources
The details about this Agam are available in ancient works like the fourth Anga, Samvayanga as well as in Samvayanga Vritti, Nandi. Sutra and its vritti, churni etc.
In Samvayanga it is mentioned that this Anga Sutra has ten chapters and seven sections. However, in Nandi Sutra there is only a mention about its eight sections and nothing about its chapters.
In his Samvayanga Vritti Acharya Abhayadev has tried to find a compromise between these two views. He says that the ten chapters of the first section combined with remaining seven sections make eight sections. Thus the references from both the Agams become applicable.
Digambar Acharya Akalank, in his commentary on Taitvarth Sutra, Tattvarth Rajavartik (1/20, Page 73) and Acharya Shubhachandra in his Angapannatti (51) have given ten names. With slight textual differences these names are
(1) Nami, (2) Matang, (3) Somil, (4) Ramagupta, (5) Sudarshan, (6) Yamlok, (7) Valik, (8) Kambal, (9) Pal, and (10) Ambasht Putra.
At the same time it is mentioned that in this Anga ten Antakrit Kevalis, each from the period of influence of all Tirthankars have been detailed.
The authors of Jayadhavala, Virsen and Jinasen, have also confirmed this (Kashaya Prabhrit, part 1, page 130). However, in the available manuscripts of Antakriddasha Sutra details only about the seekers from the periods of influence of Bhagavan Arishtanemi and Bhagavan Mahavir are available. It is possible that the ravages of time have obliterated the details about the rest of the seekers because this is an established fact that the Dvadashangi available to us is only in its brief form.
The volume of the exant Antakriddasha Sutra
The available Antakriddasha Sutra contains only one Shrut Skandha, eight sections and 90 chapters. Nandi Sutra also confirms this. Therefore it is clear that the available edition of this Agam is as mentioned in Nandi Sutra. It has 900 verses.
In the eight sections there are ten, eight, thirteen, ten, ten, sixteen, thirteen and ten chapters, in this order. Out of these, 51 chapters of the first five sections detail the life stories and spiritual practices of the ascetics of Bhagavan Arishtanemi's order, who got liberated during the birth under reference. In the remaining three sections are the similar details about 39 ascetics of Bhagavan Mahavir's order.
Language
Like other Agams, the language of this Agam is also Ardha-Magadhi Prakrit. The compilers of Agams have said that Tirthankars, Ganadhars and gods love Ardha-Magadhi
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Antakriddasha Mahima
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