According to Rajashekhara's Kavya-mimansa, Shudraka was reputed as a patron of literature, and presided over a literary circle. Some legends present Shudraka as a ruler of central India. E.g. the Kadambari places him in Dasharna, and the Avanti-Sundari-Katha-Sara calls him "Malava-raja" (the king of Malava). Bhoja's Shringara-Prakasha also mentions the narratives about Shudraka. Vidyapati's Purusha-pariksha contains a fanciful story that portrays Shudraka as an ideal lover.
