Mruccha Katikam

Author(s): Sudraka, Prithvidhara, Hiranand Mulraja Sarma, Kashinath Pandurang Parab
Publisher: Tukaram Javaji

Page 16

PREFACE.
Secondly; he deems, that the piece most probably preceded the framing of the law prohibiting suicide in the Kali age (cf. fran: etc.) because the voluntary cremation of S'ûdraka was a breach of the law and could not have been made the theme of public eulogium.
The subsequent foot-note of Wilson invalidates this assertion.* Besides this is not the breach of law-suicide was under certain circumstances, permissible and regarded as meritorious; e. g in Sarvasvâra-sacrifice.
Thirdly; his statement that the love of a respectable Brâhman for a courtesan is in favour of the antiquity of the play is of no consequence because it is not against the ordinance of Manu.t. M. William, regards the Mricchakatika as tke earliest
extant Sanskrit drama and seems rather M. Williams, inclined to place it in the 1st century after Lassen & others.
Christ. Professor Lassen assigns it to about 150 after Christ. I Windisch also believes that the play is an old one. The representations of Greek comedies in India, he deems, exerted, on the earlier Indian drama, a strong influence (especially in the reign of Menander which began 144 B. C.) which is clearly visible in the Mricchakatika and asserts its oldness.
If proved this will rather obviate the antiquity of our drama.
* That the practice of voluntary cremation was observed long subsequent to the beginning of the Kali era we know from classical authority'. Wilson-Hindu-Theatre Vol. I. p. 15. † of a fatica granercia; Manu. II. 228.
Indian Wisdom, p. 471. § Alexander is known to have had with him in the East, companies of players (see Plutarch Alex. 72) and Greek influence in India was lasting. Between Alexandria and the Indian coast there was an active trade and Ujjayinî, so intimately associated with the drama, was directly connected with the shipments.