Kalayavana

File:"King Sal Visits Kala Yavana", Folio from a Harivamsa (Legend of Hari (Krishna)).jpg

"King Sala Visits Kālayāvana", Folio from a Harivamsa

Kālayāvana (Sanskrit: "black Greek", see Yona "Greek") was an asura who invaded Mathura with an army of thirty million yavanas against Krishna.

Invasion

File:Brooklyn Museum - Kalayavana Surrounds Mathura Page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana Series.jpg

Kalayavana Surrounds Mathura Page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana Series - Brooklyn Museum

After the invasion, Krishna departed to build the city of Dvārakā amidst sea, transported all his people and left them there.

Krishna lured Kalayavan into the cave of the mighty Muchukunda, who upon being disturbed from sleep by his kick, cast a fiery glance and reduced him to ashes.

This legend appears to indicate an invasion from the Himalayas. According to the Vishnu Purana and Harivamsa, Kalayavan was the son of a Brahmin named Ganga, and a Yavana princess.

See also

• Aesir-Asura correspondence

References

• Sister Nivedita & Ananda K. Coomaraswamy: Myths and Legends of the Hindus and Bhuddhists, Kolkata, 2001 ISBN 81-7505-197-3
• Dowson's Classical Dictionary of Hindu mythology