Questions for those familiar with Tamil History

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

Mahendravarman's date is usually quoted as 600-630 CE. I would agreee that
this makes him pre-Sankara at least, if not pre-Gaudapada. The
mattavilAsaprahasana and bhagavadajjukaprahasana are both farcical comedies
(dramatic works). If I remember right, Mahendravarman was also called
vicitracitta, for having produced these works. Both works have been
published. The first work is about a drunk monk and the second about a
pious courtesan.

mattavilAsaprahasana was published along with English translation, just
last year, by Naga Prakashan, Delhi. It seems to be available in a few US
libraries. I haven't read the work, so I'm afraid I can't say anything
about the quoted verse. It would definitely be interesting to see if the
verse appears in that work and in what context. It might just be something
that the drunk monk says and not meant seriously.

Vidyasankar