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INTRODUCTION
Since the VL. thus derives a stanza from the Gaüḍavaho its upper limit can be safely taken to be 750 A. D.'
Lower limit:
The lower limit of the date of the VL is fixed by the date 1393 Vikrama Samvat, corresponding to 1337 A. D., of the commentary of Ratnadeva. (Vide p. xiv, supra).
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We can therefore place the VL between the two broad limits of 750 A.D. and 1337 A.D. In the present state of our knowledge it is not possible to fix the date with greater precision.
As remarked by Prof. Gore (loc. cit., Introduction p. vii), st. 13 of the VL is found quoted in the second Adhyāya of the Kāvyānuāśansa of Vägbhata, and st. 12 of the VL is found quoted in the Gāthāsāhasri of Shri Samayasundara Gaņi (p. 49, Bombay edition, 1940), in both cases without any mention of the VL as the source. The date of Vägbhața is the 13th century A.D. and that of Samayasundara Gani is 1650 A.D. As stated by Dr. Bhandarkar (loc. cit. p. 17), some stanzas from the VL are found quoted in the Kavyaprakāśa of Mammața (1150 to 1250 A. D.). Similarly a good many stanzas occurring in the VL are found cited in the Sarasvatikaṇṭhābharaṇa and in the Sṛmgaraprakāśa of Bhoja,the Dasarūpaka, the Alamkara-ratnākara of Sobhakara, the Kāvyānusāsana of Hemacandra, the Sahityadarpana of Visvanatha
1. The upper limit of 750 A. D. for the VL derives further support from the circumstance of the considerable influence of Apabhramsa on its language. See below (pp. xxxiii ff.), remarks on the language of the Vajjalagga and also Hermann Jacobi, Bhavisattakahā, München, 1918, Introduction pp. 53* ff, and in particular pp. 61*-62*.
2. Page 26, Kavyamālā No. 43, 1894. In addition to this I find two more stanzas from the VL quoted in Vägbhata's work: VL 284*3: Vägbhaṭa, Kāvyānuśāsana p. 37. VL 476
P. 41.
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3. The Vṛtti on Hema candra's Sabdanusāsana, VIII.3.135 quotes a line from the VL, st. 87 (fag ag en ged), as illustration of the vicarious use of the Locative for the Instru mental in Prakrit.
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