This page consists of stanzas 25 to 26 of this Sanskrit version of the popular story of Kālaka.
A large figure in the centre is seated in his palace on a large lion-throne surmounted by parasols, the emblem of kingship. He is shown in full regalia, his sword in one hand and a flower in the other. On the right, facing the king, sits a Jain monk in characteristic Śvetāmbara monastic robe. His hands are folded in a gesture of respect and prayer towards the king. He is holding the cotton broom – rajoharaṇa – under one of his arms. The monk is Kālaka.
The big figure is the king of the Śaka people, known as the Sāhi.
Nobody can persuade King Gardabhilla to free the nun Sarasvatī, whom he has kidnapped. Sarasvatī’s brother, Kālaka starts wandering and reaches the country of the Śakas. They live beyond the Indus river, which traditionally marks the boundary of the Indian subcontinent. There Kālaka meets the Sāhi, who appreciates his qualities and offers to help him in any way he needs.
The foreignness of the Śakas is emphasised by their depiction in Indian art, for example:
The small figure standing below on the right is probably an attendant of the Śaka king. He has the same characteristics of face and clothing.
There are several notable things about this page, which is not in perfect condition as the edges are rather torn.
The Kālaka story is often an appendix to Kalpa-sūtra manuscripts. In many Kalpa-sūtra manuscripts, there is a clear intention to make the manuscript a valuable and remarkable object in itself. This often holds true for the manuscripts of the Kālaka story as well. Here this aim is signalled by the:
There are three ornamental diamonds because this is the verso side of a folio.
This version of the Kālaka story is told in poetry. Verse numbers are at the end of each stanza. They are often in red, like here. On this page are the following numbers:
This means that verse 25 ends on this page, which also has all of verse 26 and a large part of verse 27.
The bottom of the right margin contains the folio number. Only the first two digits are visible as ‘1 9’ because the edge is torn. Since there is no gap in the text between this and the preceding folio, it is to be understood as ‘190’. It is a high number because this manuscript is the continuation of a Kalpa-sūtra manuscript. However, the rest of the manuscript is not available.
The elaborate script used is the Jaina Devanāgarī script, which is here like calligraphy. There are a few notable features of this script.
Firstly, it is an old type in the way the sounds e and o are notated when used with a consonant, known as pṛṣṭhamātrā script.
There are red vertical lines within the text marking out verse divisions. Single red vertical lines indicate where a verse is divided in two, while double red vertical lines are found at the end of the verse.
The Kālakācārya-kathā – Story of the religious teacher Kālaka – emphasises the connection between religious practice and magical abilities. As an accomplished Jain teacher, Kālaka can master various magical sciences and transmute brick into gold. He uses his powers to help the Śakas, a foreign population. In exchange, the Śakas help him destroy the wicked King Gardabhilla.
This eventful tale belongs to the Śvetāmbara Jain tradition. It is known in several versions in various languages and is often illustrated.The one in this manuscript is an anonymous text in Sanskrit verse, but the first seven stanzas are missing. Also missing are folios 191 to 197, corresponding to stanzas 33 to 61.
This version is known as Śrīvīra-vākyānumatam from its starting words. It is a short recension, where the story is told in simple language without poetical embellishments. By an unknown author, it is one of the most popular versions of the Kālaka story.
The pages or folios under this shelfmark belong to different manuscripts. The folios show a variety of handwriting, language and artistic style and are on noticeably different paper.
The folios are from four separate manuscripts, as follows:
There is also a manuscript holder made for an unknown manuscript.
It is not known what has happened to the rest of each manuscript.
Copies of the Kalpa-sūtra and Kālakācārya-kathā are often made in a single manuscript, which may be why these folios were bundled together. At some point in the past these folios and the manuscript holder were put into a box at the British Library and labelled ‘Frags. of Jain Mss. Skt. / Pkt.’ meaning 'Fragments of Jain manuscripts in Sanskrit and Prakrit'. However, it is important to remember that they do not belong together.
The richly decorated page of a manuscript of the Śvetāmbara Kālakācārya-katha contains the text of the story of ‘the religious teacher Kālaka'. Although it does not have a conventional illustration, the lavishly coloured page boasts figures in the side margins, floral borders and silver writing. Held in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the 14th-century folio is from Gujarat. The whole tale relates how Prince Kālaka is inspired to become a monk and goes through various adventures in which his religious practice gives him magical powers.
http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/96057.html?mulR=32227|10
The first page of a manuscript of the Śvetāmbara Kālakācārya-katha shows King Vajrasiṃha and Queen Surasundarī of Dharāvāsa in conversation. Held in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the 14th-century folio is from Gujarat and relates the tale of ‘the religious teacher Kālaka'. This legend describes how Prince Kālaka is inspired to become a monk and goes through various adventures in which his religious practice gives him magical powers.
http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/96046.html?mulR=32227|8
The Śvetāmbara monk Kālaka and the king of the gods, Śakra, discuss Jain doctrine. The National Gallery of Australia provides this highly decorated page from a 15th-century manuscript of the Kālakācāryakathā.
http://artsearch.nga.gov.au/Detail-LRG.cfm?IRN=3131&View=LRG
British Library. Or. 13475. Unknown author. Perhaps 15th century
Wellcome Trust Library. Beta 365. Bhāvadeva. Probably 15th to 16th centuries
British Library. I.O. San. 3177. Unknown author. 1437
British Library. I.O. San. 3177. Unknown author. 1437
British Library. Or. 13475. Unknown author. Perhaps 15th century
Wellcome Trust Library. Beta 365. Bhāvadeva. Probably 15th to 16th centuries
British Library. I.O. San. 3177. Unknown author. 1437