Encyclopedia for Epics of Ancient India

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Kalayavana

KALAYAVANA. [Source: Dowson's Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology] (Lit. 'Black Yavana,' Yavana meaning a Greek or foreigner.)

A Yavana or foreign king who led an army of barbarians to Mathura against Krishna. 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.


Modern Languages MLLL-4993. Indian Epics. Laura Gibbs, Ph.D. The textual material made available at this website is licensed under a Creative Commons License. You must give the original author credit. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a license identical to this one. No claims are made regarding the status of images used at this website; if you own the copyright privileges to any of these images and believe your copyright privileges have been violated, please contact the webmaster. Page last updated: October 16, 2007 12:22 PM