Purûravas and Urvaśî likewise have the court of that prince for their locality.
Nor can I see in the character of Mâlavikâ herself, or of Queen Dhâriņî, or even of the light Irâvatî, of Vidhûshaka, or of the professors of dancing and music, any thing that can well be called ‘ degenerate. ” The only thing to which objection may be taken is, perhaps, the fact that Dhârinî does not show quite as much indignation at the king's conduct with regard to Mâlavikâ as might be expected; as, for example, Queen Auśînarî does in the Vikramorvaśî, , to cite an instance from another poet, Queen Vâsavadattâ in the Ratnâvalî. But this is easily accounted for, when we remember that Dhârinî is an elderly lady, and that, besides, the poet has given us enough of jealousy and indignation in the character of Irâvatî, who, being still young, is evidently better suited to exhibit those passions. If Professor Wilson himself had examined into the charge of "degeneracy,” as brought by him against our play, he would have seen cause to modify his estimate of its merits.
But Professor Wilson concludes from the degeneracy of manners which he imputes to the Mâlavikâgnimitra, that "it can sarcely be thought earlier than the tenth or eleventh century. It may possibly have been the production of a somewhat later day.” This conclusion, based as it is, upon the alleged " degenerate state of Hindu society," is one that deserves not to be accepted without some diffidence, even if we assume for a moment the truth of the charge of degeneracy
