Kalayavan
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Kalayavan or Kālayāvan (कालयावन) (Lit. 'Black Yavana,' Yavana meaning a Greek or foreigner.) was an asura who surrounded Mathura with an army of thirty million monstrous friends against Krishna. Then Krishna departed to built a city of Dwārkā amidst sea, transported all his people to this city and left them in Dwārkā. Then Krishna returned and slew him.
That hero lured him into the cave of the mighty Muchukunda, who being disturbed from sleep by a kick from Kalayavana, cast a fiery glance upon him and reduced him to ashes.
This legend appears to indicate an invasion from the Himalayas. According to the Vishnu Purana and Harivansa, Kalayavana was the son of a Brahman named Ganga, who had an especial spite against the Yadavas, and was begotten by him on the wife of a childless Yavana king.
[edit] See also
[edit] 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
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