Editing Prakrit (section)

== Status ==
Under the Mauryan Empire various Prakrits enjoyed the status of royal language. Prakrit was the language of [[Emperor Ashoka]] who was patron of Buddhism.{{sfn|Richard G. Salomon|1996|p=377}}

Prakrit languages are said to have held a lower social status than [[Sanskrit]] in classical India. In the [[Indian classical drama|Sanskrit stage plays]], such as [[Kalidasa]]'s ''[[Shakuntala (play)|Shakuntala]]'', lead characters typically speak Sanskrit, while the unimportant characters and most female characters typically speak Prakrit.{{sfn|Andrew Ollett|2017|p=7}}

While Prakrits were originally seen as 'lower' forms of language, the influence they had on Sanskrit – allowing it to be more easily used by the common people – as well as the converse influence of [[Sanskrit]] on the Prakrits, gave Prakrits progressively higher cultural prestige.{{sfn|Madhav Deshpande|1993|p=35}}

Mirza Khan's ''Tuhfat al-hind'' (1676) characterizes Prakrit as the language of "the lowest of the low", stating that the language was known as ''Patal-bani'' ("Language of the underground") or ''Nag-bani'' ("Language of the snakes").{{sfn|Andrew Ollett|2017|p=1}}

Among modern scholars, Prakrit literature has received less attention than Sanskrit. Few modern Prakrit texts have survived in modern times, and even fewer have been published or attracted critical scholarship. Prakrit was designated as a [[Classical Languages of India|classical language]] on 3 October 2024 by the [[Government of India]], as the earliest Prakrit literature is older than most Indian literatures.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Classical status for prakrit approved |website=PM India |url=https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/news_updates/cabinet-approves-conferring-status-of-classical-language-to-marathi-pali-prakrit-assamese-and-bengali-languages |date=October 3, 2024 |access-date=February 18, 2025}}</ref>