कुमारसम्भवम् (महाकवि कालिदास - संस्कृत मूल एवं हिन्दी अनुवाद)

( 5 ) From these arguments it must be clear that there is nothing conclusive and both the groups of scholars rely only on conjec- tures. In such circumstances the most can be said is that Kâlidâsa lived before 634 A. D., because he has been mentioned by name in the Aihole inscription of that date and also by Bâṇabhaṭṭa in his Harshacharitam, of the same time, or that he can safely be placed in the fifth century A. D. To say beyond that is open to serious opposition. As many as forty-one books have been ascribed to the pen (3) His Works of Kâlidâsa, but that is highly doubtful. Many of them are evidently unworthy of his name and seem to have been passed in his name by some bogus writers to win popularity for their compositions, or they belong to some other Kâlidâsa. Thus out of the long list only six are universally acknowledged as his own and some doubt is expressed about the genuineness of the seventh, viz., Ritu- samhâram. These seven may be classified as following:— (1) Kâvyas— 1. Raghuvamsham 2. Kumârasambhavam (11) Lyrics— 1. Meghadûtam 2. Ritusamhâram (111) Dramas— 1. Shâkuntalam 2. Vikramorvashîyam 3. Mâlavikâgnimitram Kâlidâsa is one of the most brilliant jewels in the diadem of (4) His Art— goddess Saraswatî, and he is unquestionably Style, etc the best poet of Sanskrit literature. If Bhavabhuti attempts to share with him the laurels of Sanskrit drama and Bharavi, Mâgha or Shrîharsha of Sanskrit Kâvya, there is none who can vie with him in both of these branches of literature put together. His Raghu- vamsham is one of the best of Sanskrit Kâvyas and the Shâkuntalam is far the best of Sanskrit dramas. Though the traditional verse— ' उपमा कालिदासस्य भारवेरर्थगौरवम् । नैषधे पदलालित्यं माघे सन्ति त्रयो गुणाः ॥ '