Shudraka, Śūdraka: 11 definitions
Introduction:
Shudraka means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
The Sanskrit term Śūdraka can be transliterated into English as Sudraka or Shudraka, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Kavya (poetry)
Śūdraka (शूद्रक) is the name of an ancient king from Śobhāvatī, as mentioned in the fourth story of the Vetālapañcaviṃśati in the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 78. Accordingly, “... there is a city on the earth rightly named Śobhāvatī. In it there lived a king of great valour, called Śūdraka. The fire of that victorious king’s might was perpetually fanned by the wind of the chowries waved by the captured wives of his enemies”.
The story of Śūdraka is mentioned in the Vetālapañcaviṃśati (twenty-five tales of a vetāla) which is embedded in the twelfth book of the Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’). The main book is a famous Sanskrit epic detailing the exploits of prince Naravāhanadatta in his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The Kathā-sarit-sāgara is is explained to be an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā which consisted of 100,000 verses and in turn forms part of an even larger work containing 700,000 verses.
Śūdraka (शूद्रक) is the name of an important person (viz., an Ācārya or Kavi) mentioned in Rājaśekhara’s 10th-century Kāvyamīmāṃsā.—A famous king and dramatist. Who is well-known for his drama Mṛicchakatika (Prakaraṇa).
Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Śūdraka (शूद्रक).—A Sanskrit dramatist. He is believed to have lived in the second century A.D. The drama "Mṛcchakaṭika" has been discovered as his work. It is divided into ten Acts. It is believed to be the oldest Sanskrit drama. Some people think that Śūdraka was a King. The authorship of another drama, "Padmaprābhṛtakam" is also attributed to him.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
India history and geography
Next to nothing is known of Śūdraka except that he must have hailed from Ujjayinī. His is the most charming of all prakaraṇa plays (those that are not based on epic material): the Mṛcchakaṭikā (“Little Clay Cart”), the story of an impoverished merchant and a courtesan who love each other but are thwarted by a powerful rival who tries to kill the woman and place the blame on the hero, Cārudatta.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Śūdraka (शूद्रक).—Name of a king, the reputed author of the Mṛchchhakaṭika.
Derivable forms: śūdrakaḥ (शूद्रकः).
Śūdraka (शूद्रक).—[śūdra + ka], m. A proper name, [Lassen, Anthologia Sanskritica.] 28, 9.
Śūdraka (शूद्रक).—[masculine] [Name] of [several] kings, [especially] of the supposed author of the Mṛcchakaṭikā.
Śūdraka (शूद्रक) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—Mṛcchakaṭikā.
Śūdraka (शूद्रक):—[from śūdra] m. Name of various kings ([especially] of the author of the drama called Mṛcchakaṭikā), [Mṛcchakaṭikā; Kathāsaritsāgara; Hitopadeśa etc.]
Śūdraka (शूद्रक):—(von śūdra) m. Nomen proprium gaṇa aśvādi zu [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 4, 1, 110. 5, 3, 75, Scholiast] (saṃjñāyāṃ kutsite). eines Fürsten, angeblichen Verfassers der Mṛcchakaṭikā, [Lassen’s Indische Alterthumskunde.2,759. fg. 945.] [Mṛcchakaṭikā.1,13. fgg.] [Kathāsaritsāgara 78,5.] [Rājataraṅgiṇī.3,343.] [Hitopadeśa] [?III,99. 98,5. fgg. KĀD. in morgenländischen Gesellschaft 7,583. Daśakumāracarita.118,2. HALL in der Einl. zu VĀSAVAD. 53. Vetālapañcaviṃśati in Lassen’s Anthologie (III) 23,10. 25,8. Viṣṇupurāṇa 472, Nalopākhyāna 39. Oxforder Handschriften 152,b,16. 207,b,34.] Nomen proprium eines Soldaten [Rājataraṅgiṇī 8, 509.] — Vgl. śaudrakāyaṇa .
Śūdraka (शूद्रक) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Suddaya.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+0): Shudrakakatha, Shudrakalpa, Shudrakamalakara, Shudrakanya, Shudrakarmatattva, Shudrakavadha.
Full-text (+0): Vikrantashudraka, Shudrakakatha, Shaudrakayana, Yakshadasi, Shuraka, Suddaya, Mricchakatika, Agadhasattva, Caturbhani, Rajashekhara, Candraketu, Shalivahana, Prakarana, Viravati, Sattvavara, Shakara, Dharmavati, Viravara, Shobhavati.
Relevant text
Search found 54 books and stories containing Shudraka, Śūdraka, Sudraka; (plurals include: Shudrakas, Śūdrakas, Sudrakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Bhasa (critical and historical study) (by A. D. Pusalker)
Chapter 6 - Relation between Charudatta and Mricchakatika
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Studies in Indian Literary History (by P. K. Gode)
21. Date of the Asvacikitsita of Nakula < [Volume 2 (1954)]
Society as depicted in the Chaturbhani (study) (by Mridusmita Bharadwaj)
Part 2.1 - Date and Life of Śūdraka < [Chapter 3 - introduction to the Bhāṇas of the Caturbhāṇī]
Part 1 - Introduction to the Caturbhāṇī < [Chapter 3 - introduction to the Bhāṇas of the Caturbhāṇī]
Part 6 - Conclusion to chapter 5 < [Chapter 5 - Humour and satire in the four Bhāṇas of the Caturbhāṇī]
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
Chapter LXXVIII < [Book XII - Śaśāṅkavatī]
Note on the story of king Sumanas < [Notes]
Foreword to volume 7 < [Forewords]
Dandin's Method of Narration < [October - December 1975]
Mrichakatikam - A Drama Par Excellence < [April – June, 2000]
Some Old Indian Art-Crafts < [January-February 1935]