Kalayavan

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

Kalayavan or Kālayāvan (Sanskrit: कालयावन) (Lit. 'Black Yavana,' Yavana meaning a Greek) was an asura who invaded Mathura with an army of thirty million yavanas against Krishna.

Invasion

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

After the invasion, Krishna departed to build a city of Dwārkā 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

Hindu deities and texts Gods Trimurti Brahma Vishnu Shiva Ganesha Rama Krishna Kartikeya Hanuman Indra Surya more Goddesses Tridevi Saraswati Lakshmi Parvati Adi Parashakti Sati Durga Shakti Kali Sita Radha Mahavidya Navadurga Matrikas more Texts Vedas Rig Sama Yajur Atharva Upanishads Puranas Ramayana Mahabharata Bhagavad Gita Yoga Sutras of Patanjali more Hinduism Hindu mythology