Visakhadatta Mudrarakshasa With the Commentary of Dhundiraja

The Mudrarakshasa, unlike the majority of Sanskrit plays, is purely a political drama. It has for its theme, besides elevation of Chandragupta to the throne of Magadha, winning over of Rakashsa, the hostile minister of the Nanda dynasty to the side of Chandragupta and adoption of measures to strengthen the rule by Chankaya, the renowned politician of his times.

In the words of H. H. Wilson: It is a historical or political drama, and represents a curious state of public morals, in which fraud and assassination are the simple means by which inconvenient obligations are acquitted, and troublesome friends or open enemies removed. It is not, however, that such acts are not held in themselves as crimes, or that their perpetrators, if instigated by vulgar vice or ferocity, are not condemned as culprits; it is only when the commission of the crime proposes a political end that it is represented as venial, and is compatible with possession of great virtues, and even with an amiable character.

It includes the commentary of Dhundiraja, English translation, critical and explanatory notes, introduction and various readings.

Preface to the Second Edition

This edition of the Mudrarakshasa is based on the printed texts of the play both at Bombay and Calcutta, and the various readings given therein. As the edition is meant for students, only the important readings are given in the foot-notes. The work of collating the available MSS and recording all the different readings found in them has been very carefully and ably done by Mr. Telang, and thereafter by Mr. Dhruva, edition 1900, and so it is not attempted here. An attempt is made, however, to make the book as useful to the students as possible. The translation attached herewith is so made as to explain the text, and the notes and the introduction have been written with a view to meet all the possible difficulties of students. The editions of Mr. Telang, and Mr. Dhruva were very useful to me, and I cannot adequately express my gratefulness to them. To Mr. Dhruva's scholarly express my gratefulness to them. To Mr. Dhruva's scholarly work especially I am indebted for may useful suggestion and some good readings and quotations any suggestions as to improvement etc. will be thankfully received.

The Fourth Edition

Several changes have been effected in this edition (such as the addition at the end of an index of the more important words occurring in the play, of some important readings from the ed. Of A. Hillebrandt, Breslau, 1912, the summary of the plot in English etc.) so as to keep uniformity with other Sanskrit plays edited by me, and the translation and the notes have been carefully revised as far as was possible. It is hope, therefore, that in its present form the book will be found increasingly useful by the students for whom it is chiefly intended.

Preface to the Fifth Edition

I have great pleasure in bringing out the present edition of Mudrarakshasa, edited by my late father, Shri M. R. Kale, B. A. This and many others of his works are out of print or over twenty years; in spite of pressing demand of students from different parts of India. My thanks are due to M/s. Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, who gladly undertook to publish this edition after getting it thoroughly revised from Prof. Satya Bhushan Yogi, Head o the Hindi and Sanskrit Dept. St. Stephens College, Delhi; and getting Hindi version from Prof. Lajpat Rai, New Delhi. My thanks are also due to these two learned professors for their efforts. For convenience of students, English and Hindi translations are printed opposite the text.

Preface to the Sixth Edition

The present edition is, in a way, the reprint of the Original Edition inasmuch as the Hindi Version of the text which is a new feature of the Fifth Edition has been totally eschewed. This has been done in view of some important results. The student who has offered English as the medium of study would not bother about Hindi Version. He would rather appreciate the omission of Hindi Version, for he will have to spend less in buying the present edition than it would otherwise have been, had the Hindi Version been added.