Antaraṅgas — The Inner Circle
Antaraṅgas (Sanskrit: antar — inner; aṅga — limb/member) refers to those who belong to the inner circle of an Āchārya's close community — the disciples who serve him most intimately, learn the deepest aspects of the tradition directly from him, and carry forward his mission.
In the context of the guru-śiṣya relationship, the antaraṅgas are distinguished from more general followers by:
- Physical proximity and personal service to the Āchārya
- Access to rahasya granthams and intimate instruction
- Duty to carry forward the Āchārya's specific teachings and mission
In Yathīndra Pravaṇa Prabhāvam, Māmunigaḷ's antaraṅgas — the Aṭṭa-maṇi-māḷai (eight disciples) including Ponnadikkāl Jīyar, Kolli Kāvaladāsar, and others — are described at length. Their service, learning, and devotion to him are the central narrative of the latter part of the text.