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Karakandu or Karakanda was a powerful legendary Jain emperor of Kalinga (Odisha and North Andhra), who is said to have lived between 9th Century B.C to 6th Century B.C. He is a celebrated hero of many Jain and Buddhist religious scriptures. Ancient Buddhist text of Kumbhakara Jataka mentions him to be the Pratyekabuddha or the enlightened living being. Karakandu was a great devotee of the 23rd Jain tirthankar Parshvanatha who had preached Jainism in Kalinga around 850 B.C. Karakandu was also refereed as the "Bull among Kings" by Mahavira, the 24th Jain tithankar. Successive Jain writers over the years have placed him in the group of four Chakravati kings of the Indian subcontinent during his time who also were considered as prateykabudhhas namely, Nagnajit of Gandhara, Nemi or Nimi of Videha, Durmukha or Dwimukha of Panchala and Karakandu of Kalinga. After achieving victory over many kings and ruling for a long term, Karakandu became a Jain Sramana and left the throne and kingdom in charge of his son. During his time Kalinga was a Jain stronghold often described as the Kalinga Jinasana which may be compared to the later era Buddhist Janapadas. It was Jain monk Kanakmara's work in Apabrhamasa or Prakrit language known as Karakandu Cariu which gives detailed events about his life.