कुमारसम्भवम् (महाकवि कालिदास - संस्कृत मूल एवं हिन्दी अनुवाद)

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5 Last but not the least, is the evidence of his style,
which is quite different from that of the writers of the medieval
Sanskrit period Kalidasa's style is simple, while the later
writers find pleasure in embellished composition abounding in
long compounds, difficult puns, etc
It is on the basis of such evidence that scholars like
Dr Peterson believe that 'Kalidâsa stands near the beginning
of the Christian Era, if, indeed, he does not overtop it '
The main arguments of the other group may be put forth
thus —
1 Kalidasa's language (specially his Prâkrita) and style
show a clear advance over those of the two earlier poets, Bhâsa
and Ashwaghosha, who flourished in the first century B C and
first century A D respectively.
2 Kalidâsa's works point to the state of perfection of
Sanskrit literature which was attained during the reign of the
Gupta kings, which period is known in the history as the
"Golden Age for Brahmanism and Sanskrit"
3 There is a probable reference to Chandragupta II
Vikramaditya (413 A D) in the title of the Vikramorvashîyam,
and to his son Kumaragupta in the name of the Kumâra-
sambhavam, and the remarkable allusion to the horse-sacrifice
in the Mâlavikâgnimitram may remind one of Samudragupta's
horse-sacrifice
4 The works of Kâlidâsa seem to be describing the social,
political, religious and economical conditions of the Gupta
period
5 The allusion to the Hûna kings in the Raghuvamsham
suggests that Kalidâsa lived after their invasion of the Punjab,
which is dated in the sixth century A D