Background
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 story is frequently found as an appendix to the
Kalpa-sūtra because the last part of the story explains how Kālaka changed the date of Paryuṣaṇ
. This annual festival
was moved from the fifth day of the bright half
of the month Bhādrapada – roughly equivalent to August to September – to the fourth. The
Kalpa-sūtra has a central role in
Paryuṣaṇ.
The version of the story here is one known as
Śrīvīravākyānumatam. These are the words that start the text. It is written in Sanskrit
and represents 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.