Shudraka (IAST: Śūdraka) was an Indian playwright, to whom three Sanskrit plays are attributed: Mrichchhakatika (The Little Clay Cart), Vinavasavadatta, and a bhana (short one-act monologue), Padmaprabhritaka.
The prologue describes him as a distinguished wise man, who had gained knowledge of the Rigveda, the Samaveda, mathematics, the Kamashastra and the art of training elephants.
[6] A verse attributed to the 10th century poet Rajashekhara in Suktimuktavali praises two writers - Ramila and Somila - for jointly composing a novel titled Shudraka-katha.
[8] Based on information from other sources, it appears that one Shudraka-katha (probably that of Ramila and Somila) narrated how Shudraka won over a woman called Vinaya-vati, with the help of his friend Bandhu-datta.
[10] Some scholars, such as Farley P. Richmond, suggest that Shudraka was simply a mythical figure, and the authorship of works attributed to him is uncertain.
[3] According to another theory, first proposed by Sten Konow, Shudraka was the pen name of a 3rd century Abhira king, possibly Shivadatta, the father of Ishvarasena).