Sanskrit Manuscripts : Kālakācāryakathā

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Sanskrit Manuscripts

<p style='text-align: justify;'>The story of the Jain monk Kālaka is one of the most famous legends and one of the most frequently illustrated Jain Śvetāmbara works. It is often appended to the <i>Kalpasūtra</i>, because both have a strong connection with the eight-day Jain festival of Paryuṣaṇ (August/September), which marks the climax of the rainy season. The ancient teacher Kālaka is held to be at the origin of the specific date where the last day of the festival takes place: the 4th day of the bright half of the month of Bhadrapada. The story is eventful and also shows how the Jain teacher took the help of a foreign king, the Sāhi, to restore the <i>dharma</i> and how he could use his magic abilities for this purpose. It is known from several different versions in Prakrit and Sanskrit. This manuscript has the most popular version of the story in Sanskrit. It is anonymous and known as <i>Śrīvīravākyānumataṃ</i> from its initial words. The manuscript has three typical, although not outstanding, illustrations. </p>