KĀLAKAVṚKṢĪYA An ancient Saint. During the reign of the King Kṣemadarśin in the country of Kosala, his subjects were put to great sufferings under the misrule and corruption of his courtiers. At that time, Kālakavṛkṣīya who was a friend of Kṣemadarśin and a reputed sage, came to Kosala with a caged crow. The sage went about the country claiming to know Kākavidyā” (Vāyasī vidyā) by which a crow could be made to tell past events. Actually, the sage was going round the country in order to gather first-hand information about the corrupt practices of the King's men. After acquiring knowledge of the exact state of affairs in the country, Kālakavṛkṣīya reached the palace. Under the cloak of the crow's words he exposed some of the improprieties of the King's Minister. Naturally, the Minister was furious and by his secret instructions his servants shot the crow to death that same night. On the next day, the sage himself went to the King and convinced him of the Minister's guilt. The King accepted the sage's suggestions and brought about a thorough overhaul of the administration by punishing or dismissing the culprits.
[M.B. Śānti Parva, Chapter 82] . In
[Mahābhārata, Śānti Parva, Chapter 106] we find that this sage once advised Drupada to make a treaty with King Kṣemadarśin. Kālakavṛkṣīya was a sage who flourished in Indra's assembly.
[M.B. Sabhā Parva, Chapter 7] .