Shauraseni Prakrit was a Middle Indo-Aryan language predominantly used in northern India, especially around the region of Mathura, named after the ancient province of Shurasena. It was the chief language used in classical Sanskrit dramas from the 3rd to 10th centuries and served as a regional variety of the Dramatic Prakrits. Shauraseni is considered the one most closely related to Classical Sanskrit, as it derived from the Old Indian Indo-Aryan dialect of the Madhyadesa region, which was also the basis of Classical Sanskrit. It was widely used in royal courts and dramas and became the linguistic root of modern languages such as Hindi and Punjabi. In literature, it was used particularly for drama, and the language featured distinctive grammatical structures and vocabulary that influenced several North Indian languages. Shauraseni also played an important role in Jain canonical literature, especially for the Digambara tradition. Its use in different linguistic registers for characters of varying social statuses in plays enhanced the authenticity and richness of classical Indian drama