{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O140370"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O140370/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EE3678/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EE3678/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EE3678","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT4065","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O140370/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O140370","accessionNumber":"IS.46:1-1959","objectType":"Manuscript page","titles":[{"title":"Kalpasutra","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The Kalpasutra (Book of Rituals) is the most important canonical text in Jain literature for the Svetambaras (white-clad), one of the two sects of Jainism.  Jainism is one of the oldest religions to have survived until the present time and its basic teaching is one of non-violence.  The Kalpasutra is divided into three sections.   The first section deals with the lives of the twenty-four Jinas or Tirthankaras, who were the Jain spiritual teachers or 'ford-makers'.  The second part deals with the life of Mahavira, the twenty-fourth Tirthankara.  The third part deals with rules for the ascetics and laws during the four months (chaturmas) of the rainy season, when ascetics temporarily abandon their wandering life and settle down amidst the laity. This is the time when the festival of Paryushan is celebrated and the Kalpasutra is traditionally recited.\r\nMahavira is shown in the Pushpottara heaven, attended by demi-gods and demi-goddesses.","physicalDescription":"Part of a manuscript of the Kalpasutra consisting of 91 folios, numbered 1-92, with folio 3 missing and containing 38 illustrations. The text is written in black ink in Prakrit, seven lines to the page between red and gold marginal rules and blue border decoration. The text of a Sanskrit commentary is inserted in small Nagari characters in the margins. Central and marginal string-holes are decorated but not pierced and on the obverse of each folio the central hole only is marked. Folio numbers are written in the lower right-hand corner of the reverse of each folio but are defective from folio 85 onwards due to insect damage. The colophon is written in red on f.92 verso (see Marks).\r\nMahavira is shown in the Pushpottara heaven, attended by demi-gods and demi-goddesses.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},{"text":"written","id":"AAT54698"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted and written in ink, paint and gold on paper","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Jain","id":"THES49013"},{"text":"Manuscripts","id":"THES48922"},{"text":"Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project","id":"THES263148"}],"styles":[{"text":"Western Indian painting style","id":"x46887"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2010EE3678","2006AT4065"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"009","id":"THES403524"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"page","id":"AAT194222"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Gujarat","id":"x29825"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"late 15th century to early 16th century","earliest":"1450-01-01","latest":"1550-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"10.25","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"4.25","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Double-ruled red margins, filled with gold on both sides.\r\nIllustrations colour used blue, black, red, white, silver and gold.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"'Iti sri paryushana kalpadhyayana samaptam/chha sri/grain 92'","type":"","note":"Colophon, written on red on f.92 verso. After this first inscription the manuscript has been repaired and the colophon continues in a later hand."},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"'(This was) redone by the hand of Muni Moti Vijaya, disciple of Pandit Kastura Vijaya Gani.'","transliteration":"'Pam(n)[dita] sri 5 ki stura ge [for gani] muni Motiva [for Vi]jaya ni parat saha hasata'","type":"","note":"Colophon, written on red on f.92 verso. Second inscription, continued after the manuscript has been repaired, in a later hand. "}],"objectHistory":"Purchased in 1959 from Mr. A. Shah c/o. Mrs. G.Charlston, London S.W.16. for £48.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Jain manuscript page, <i>Kalpasutra</i>, Mahavira in the Pushpottara heaven, ink, paint and gold on paper, Gujarat, late 15th and early 16th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Masterpieces of the Kalpasutra Paintings, Sarbhai M. Nawab. 1956."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Catalogue of the Jain Manuscripts of the British Library, Vol.2, page 87, Cat. no. 107."}],"production":"Western India","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Mahavira","id":"N1708"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Jainism","id":"AAT143540"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}},{"text":"PAGES FROM A KALPASUTRA MANUSCRIPT\r\nOpaque watercolour, ink and gold on paper. Western India, probably Gujarat, c. 1500\r\nABOVE: QUEEN TRISHALA\r\nRECOUNTING HER DREAMS TO HER\r\nHUSBAND KING SIDDARTHA\r\nIS.46:30-1959\r\nThe Kalpasutra (Book of Ritual) is the most\r\nfrequently illustrated Jain text. It is recited by\r\nShvetambara Jains in the Paryushan festival\r\nduring the rainy season. The first part deals with\r\nthe lives of the 24 Jinas (spiritual ‘victors’) revered\r\nby the Jains, especially that of the 24th Jina,\r\nMahavira. Before his birth, his mother Queen\r\nTrishala dreamed 14 auspicious dreams. Here\r\nSiddhartha explains that they foretell the birth of\r\na great king or religious saviour.\r\nCENTRE: TRISHALA’S JOY WHEN\r\nMAHAVIRA’S EMBRYO MOVES AGAIN\r\nIS.46:35-1959\r\nIn the womb, Mahavira kept absolutely still out of\r\ncompassion for his mother. Fearing the baby had\r\ndied, however, she was plunged into sorrow.\r\nUnderstanding this Mahavira quivered slightly,\r\nwhich filled her with joy. He then resolved not to\r\nbecome a homeless ascetic during his parents’\r\nlifetime.\r\nAfter their death, Mahavira gave up his\r\ncomfortable life to become a wandering mendicant.\r\nHe achieved enlightenment and eventually\r\nmoksha, final liberation from the world of birth,\r\ndeath and rebirth.\r\nBELOW: THE BIRTH OF MAHAVIRA\r\nIS.46:36-1959\r\nHere Queen Trishala is seen reclining on a couch\r\nwith the baby, attended by a maid holding a\r\nflywhisk. Above, ladies with peacocks watch over\r\nthe baby in a cradle.\r\nThe three medallions, one on a gap between the\r\nlines of text, recall the earlier practice of writing\r\non palm leaves, which had holes for cords to bind\r\nthem together. Gold and ultramarine blue were\r\nused lavishly in many Jain manuscripts from\r\naround 1450","date":{"text":"27/9/2013","earliest":"2013-09-27","latest":"2013-09-27"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.46:1-1959"],"accessionNumberNum":"46","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1959,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2007-11-01","availableToBook":true}}