The Sanskrit Drama in its Origin, Development, Theory & Practice c11.s2.13

c11.s2.13

We are left, therefore, to accept the view that the author who wrote up the *Cārudatta*, and combined with it a new play, thought it well to conceal his identity and to pass off the work under the appellation of a famous king. Lévi’s suggestion that he chose Ṣūdraka for this purpose because he lived after Vikramāditya, patron of Kālidāsa, and wished to give his work the appearance of antiquity by associating it with a prince who preceded Vikramāditya, is clearly far-fetched, and insufficient to suggest a date. Nor can anything be deduced from the plentiful exhibition of Prākṛits, which is not, to judge from Bhāsa, a sign of very early date; while the use of Māhārāṣṭrī Prākṛit would be, if proved, conclusive that he is fairly late. Konow’s effort to support Ṣūdraka’s connexion with Pratiṣṭhāna by this use is clearly untenable.