रत्नावली नाटिका (सम्राट हर्षवर्धन - शास्त्रीय नाटिका रत्न सम्पूर्ण ४ अङ्क सान्वय सटीक)

INTRODUCTION XXV
Kuttanimata of Dámodaragupta, Málatímádhava of Bhavabhuti
etc. The historical reference of the king Udayana is found in the
Puranas and his name is also traced in the list of twenty-nine
Puru kings who lived after the Mahábhárata war. "They lived
in Hastinápura, but they removed to Kaus'ámbi in consequence
of the destruction of their former capital by an inundation of the
Ganges"—Introduction to Ratnávali by C. R. Devadhara. From
the Pali literature such as Divyávadána, Mahávams'a etc., we can
learn that he was a contemporary of Chanda Pradyota of Avanti ;
and in the plays, stories of his long-drawn antagonism with
Mahasena of Avanti being mitigated by his marriage with the
latter's daughter Vásavadattá are referred to (vide Svapnavásava-
dattam). The author of the present play Ratnávali might have
taken the theme from these popular and historical sources.
The systematic and detailed history of the king Udayana is set
forth in the Brihatkathámanjari of Kshemedra (11th cent A. D.)
Kathásaritságara of Somadeva (11th cent) and the Brihatkathá-
s'lokasamgraha of Buddhasvámin (10th cent) [ See App. A ].
These three works are claimed to be the three recensions of the
long lost famous work of popular tales बृहत्कथा written by
Gunádhya in the 1st cent A. D. in Pais'áchi language. It is very
difficult to ascertain how far these works conform closely to the
contents of the original work Brihatkathá which is long lost sight
of. Somadeva, the author compiler of the work Kathásaritságara
claims that he has made an exact compilation of the essence
of the contents of the बृहत्कथा (cf: बृहत्कथायाः सारस्य सङ्ग्रहं रचयाम्यहम्—
Kathásarit. I. 3.) That S'ri Harsha surely consulted the
Brihatkathá which was extant at his time is confirmed by the
fact that the subject-matters of his three dramas are exactly found
in detailed narration in the Kathásaritságara which is claimed by
its author to be the exact copy of the essence of the बृहत्कथा. S'ri
Harsha could not possibly consult the Kathásaritságara as the
latter was compiled four hundred years after Harsha's reign.