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[ IV
(4) The references of places and the copyists further authenticate the MSS. Some of the MSS have been copied in Karnataka at Moodbidri and other places from the palm leaf MSS written in Kannada scripts (7, 318, 373) whereas some in Northen India, in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.
5) It is also noteworthy that copying work was done at Jaina Siddhanta Bhavana Arrah itself MSS were borrowed from different collections & copying work was conducted in the supervision of learned Scholars.
(6) The study of colophon reveals many more important references of Samgh s, Ganas, Gacchas, Bhattarak as, and presentation of Sastras by pious men and women to ascetics. copying the Ms for personal study-sva hyaya, and getting the work prepared for his son or relative etc Such references denote the continuity of religious practice of sastrarlana which occupy a very high position in the code of conduct of a Jaina household,
(7) The copying work of MSS was done not only by paid professionals but also by devout śravakas and desciples of Bhattarakas or other ascetics
(8) In most of the MSS counting of alphabets, words, slokas, or gathas have been given as granthaparimana at the end of the MSS This reference is very important from the point of the extent of the Text Many times the author himselt indica'es the granthaparimana. Even the prose works are counted in the form of slokas (32 alphabets each) The Aplamimämsä Bhasya of Akalanka is more popularly known as Aştasati and Apian in âm:alinkrt of Vidyananda is famous as Aştasahasri. Both works are the commentaries on the Aptamimāmṣā (m verse) of Samanta Bhadra in Sanskrit prose, Vidyananda himself says about his work:
"Śrotavy - aştasahasri śrulah kimanyaih saharrasamkhyanath." Counting in the form of slokas seems a later development. When the teachings of Vardhamana Mahavira were reduced to writing counting was done in the form of Padas For instance the Ayâramga is said to contain eighteen thousand Padas.
