पृष्ठम्:विक्रमोर्वशीयम् (कल्पलताव्याख्यासमेतम्).djvu/८०

विकिस्रोतः तः
पुटमेतत् सुपुष्टितम्
14
INTRODUCTION.

 Thus there are scholars who on the above arguments and such others, assign fisrt century B. C. to Kalidasa's period.

 But as Kalidasa himself or some reliable contemporary of his, does not give any settled opinion, there is only an imaginary evidence on the point of period of the great poet, and therefore the question remains all the same much-vexed and open to disagreements and disputes.

 In conclusion, the latest opinion on this point may be given in the words of Prof. S. K. De:-

 “The limits of this time are broadly fixed between the 2nd and the 6th century A. D. . Since his works reveal the anthor as a man of culture and urbanity, leisured artist probably enjoying, as the legend says, royal patronage under Vikramāditya, it is not unnatural to associate him with Chan- dragupta II (cir 380-413 A. D. ), who had the style of Vikra- maditya, and whose times were those of prosperity and power,

 The various arguments, literary and historical, by which this position is reached, are not invulnerble when they are taken in detail, but their cumulative effect cannot be ignored. We neither know, nor shall perhaps ever know if any of the brilliant conjectures is correct, but in the present state of our knowledge, it would not be altogether unjustifiable to place Kalidasa roughly at 400 A. D. It is not unimportant to know that Kalidasa shared glories and varied living and learning of a great time, but he might not have done this and yet be the foremost poet of Sanskrit literature; that he had a wide acquaintance with the life and scenes of many parts of India but had a partiality for Ujjaini, may be granted, but it would perhaps be hazardous, and even unnecessary, to connect him with any particular geographical setting or historical environment."

   (Poussin Memorial Volume, Pt. I pp. 190–2.)