pra_kr.ts is generally used in plural in literary texts. The term, therefore, may refer to the early dialects of proto-Indic or proto-Bharatiya. One such dialect is mleccha (referred to as Meluhha on an Akkadian cylinder seal) spoken by Vidura and Yudhis.t.hira in the Maha_bha_rata.
This interpretation of pra_kr.ts as early dialects of Bharat, is consistent with the definition derived from Pa_n.ini who uses the word prakr.ti 'the crude or elementary form of a word , base , root, an uninflected word'.
Another interpretation is related to semantics of the components pra- -kr.t 'making or placing before or at first'. This is the reason why prakr.ti (pl.) also means: 'a king's ministers or ministry,' consistent with the practice of ministers preding the king as they parade into a sabha_ man.t.apam.
Since the Maha_bha_rata is dated to circa 5000 BP based on planetaria software used on observed astronomical references recorded by Veda Vya_sa, mleccha may be hypothesised as the lingua franca of Sarasvati-Sindhu river valleys (i.e., Sarasvati Civilization). This hypothesis has been successfully tested with Sarasvati hieroglyphs recorded from this date.
http://www.hindunet.org/saraswati/sarasvati7books.htm
Thus, pra_kr.ts include earlier forms of samskr.tam. Further area for reseach in langue and parole is the delineation of substrata and ad-strata in the languages of Bharat and of neighbouring regions, e.g. Avestan, Tibetan.
Kalyanaraman