Answer

Dharmachakra Tap is a traditional Jain austerity named after the “wheel of dharma,” the symbol of righteous spiritual progress. In the Jain tap literature I found, it is presented as an established austerity practice rather than as a story of one single inventor. One common form is: first one fast, then alternate fasting so that the full observance becomes 123 days; another form is 82 days; and a third form uses 24 continuous āmbils. ( jainqq.org)

Explanation

The “story behind” Dharmachakra Tap is mainly symbolic. In Jain understanding, dharma is what purifies the soul and leads it toward liberation, and the “wheel” suggests steady, disciplined movement on that path. So the name “Dharmachakra” points to a life of ordered restraint, not just physical fasting. The books I found describe Dharmachakra Tap as one of many structured tapas that developed through Jain ascetic tradition and later ritual compilations. ( jainworld.jainworld.com)

If you are asking “how did it start,” the safest traditional answer is this: it started as a devotional austerity meant to reduce karmic bondage, strengthen self-control, and deepen spiritual focus. The sources describe it as a prescribed tapas with fixed fasting patterns and an udyapan ceremony at the end, which shows that it became a formalized practice in Jain ritual culture. ( jainqq.org)

Spiritual Understanding

In Jain Dharma, tapas is not only about hunger or hardship. Its real purpose is karma nirjarā, the shedding of karmas. Dharmachakra Tap reflects that ideal beautifully: life should keep turning only toward संयम, purity, and आत्मिक upliftment, not toward indulgence. ( jaingpt.org)

Takeaway

So, there is no widely known single legend of “who invented Dharmachakra Tap.” It is better understood as an ancient Jain vow-based austerity, named for the wheel of dharma and practiced in different traditional forms. ( jainqq.org)

If you want, I can also explain the exact vidhi of Dharmachakra Tap in simple step-by-step form.