क्षेमदर्शी

{ kṣemadarśī }

Puranic Encyclopaedia

KṢEMADARŚĪ   A King of Kosala. There is a story in the Mahābhārata stating how the hermit Kālakavṛkṣīya saved this King from the trap laid by his favourites. The treasury-keeper spent the money of the King lavishly on himself. The subjects began to consider how to inform the King about this. Finally the hermit Kālakavṛkṣīya began to travel throughout the country with a crow kept in a cage. As if the crow was speaking, the hermit began to tell the past, present and future fortunes of the people. The crow became famous and people began to have faith in the crow. Once Kālakavṛkṣīya and the crow reached the palace and under the pretence that the crow was speaking, the hermit disclosed all the secret dealings of the treasury-keeper. The servants of the King stealthily put the crow to death that night. When the King knew this he made Kālakavṛkṣīya the minister and the country began to prosper. [M.B. Śānti Parva, Chapter 82] . On another occasion the treasury of the King Kṣemadarśī became empty. At this time King Janaka had come to war with this King. According to the sincere advice of Kālakavṛkṣīya the King married the daughter of King Janaka. From that day onwards his country became prosperous. [M.B. Śānti Parva, Chapter 106] .