and by them communicated to the women of Sourashtra the art passed to the females of various j|
regions." - •
SECTION II.
The date of the origin. •&
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The earliest reference to works on dramatic representations is tfiade by Panini, from which we may infer that at least two works 6n Natyasutra by Silalin and Krisaswa must have-existed in his time.
Goldstucker decides that Panini lived in the sixth c^ttify B. C. which must also be the latest date of the Hatyasutras, Besides we have another testimony afforded by the sacred books of the Buddhists. There it is stated that two disciples of Buddha witnessed dramatic representations.
The negative evidence is to be adiltt^ from the absence of certain antecedents. Sanskrit ceased to be the lingua franca of the Aryans at least before Buddha's time from the fact the Buddha preached his religion in Pali or Prakrit. One reason why Sanskrit dramas are polylingual may be sought for in the fact that the poets desired to make them inteliigiblt to the uneducated masses. The very feet of the introductionof Prakrit establishes the statement that the men who wife first inspired by the dramatic muse had borrowed thek initiative-ftpia Buddhist practices,
Mfttdbakatika is the most ancient drama, eisitaiit, being assigned at the latest to the ist century B. C. Examining th&-simplicity of diction and the developiiiiint of tte plot therein^ 'M-
mncing, the former being so named from Tandu an attendant of Siva whom the God instructed in it, '.. while.the other was "taught by Parvati to the . . princess TJslia, who. instructed the Gopis of Dwaraka,as a greater grace and melody about his verse. " •/:-'.. . • ' ' . : .; .". <