Page:Biographical Sketches of Dekkan Poets.djvu/16

Rh with much less care and art than succeeding years; but the numerous poets that latterly crowded the courts of various monarchs, have caused these effusions to be less esteemed, notwithstanding their merits, by patrons who expected panegyrics as a matter of course. Many centuries ago the princes of the lunar race, such as Purura and others; followed this maxim, and were imitated by their successors who kept up their dignity and fame, till the original solar and lunar races became extinct in the person of Nanda, whose downfall is exhibited in a dramatic work called Mudra-Rakshasa*, or seal and signet of Rakshasa, a minister of Chandra Gupta; the effusions of poets may from this date be said to be dedicated to mercenary purposes and not to those exalted themes that distingished them in days more ancient.

According to records Vekramaditya, who