Pararaton

The Pararaton, also known as the Book of Kings, is a Javanese chronicle in the Kawi language. The comparatively short text of 32 folio-size pages (1126 lines) contains the history of the kings of Singhasari and Majapahit in eastern Java. The book is also called "Pustaka Raja", which is Sanskrit for "book king", or "book of kings".

Pararaton opens with a formal incarnation of the founder of Singhasari kingdom (1222–1292), Ken Arok (or Ken Angrok). Almost half of the manuscript is the story of Ken Arok's career before his accession to the throne in 1222. This part is clearly mythical in character. There then follow a number of shorter narrative fragments in chronological order. Many of the events recorded here are dated. Towards the end the pieces of history become shorter and shorter and are mixed with genealogical information concerning the members of the royal family of Majapahit.

The importance of the Angrok story is not only indicated by its length, but also by the fact that it furnishes an alternative name: Serat Pararaton atawa Katuturanira Ken Angrok or "The Book of Genealogy or the Recorded Story about Ken Angrok". Since the oldest colophon in the manuscripts contains the date 1522 Saka (1600 CE), the final part of the text must have been written between 1481 and 1600 CE.

Pararaton commences with a brief prelude telling how Ken Arok incarnated himself in which he became the king. He offered himself as a human sacrifice to Yamadipati, the Javanese Door God, in order to save himself from death. As a reward, he was promised that upon his death he would return to Vishnu's heaven and be reborn as a superior king of Singhasari.

The promise was fulfilled. Ken Arok was begotten by Brahma of a newly-wed peasant woman. On his birth, his mother laid him in a graveyard where his body, effulgent with light, attracted the attention of Ki Lembong, a passing thief. Ki Lembong adopted him, raised him and taught him all of his arts. Ken Arok indulged in gambling, plunder and rapine. In the manuscript, it is written as such that Ken Arok was saved many times by divine intervention. There is a scene in Mount Kryar Lejar wherein gods descend in conference and Batara Guru (Shiva) declares Ken Arok his son. Ken Arok is also destined to bring stability and power to Java.

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