Kalayavan (or Kālayāvan) (Sanskrit: कालयावन), was the King of Magadha and an asura who invaded Mathura with an army of thirty million yavanas against Krishna.
Etymology
His name in Sanskrit is 'Black Yavana' literally means a Greek.
Story
After the invasion, Krishna departed to built a city of Dwārkā amidst sea and transported all his people to this city and left them in Dwārkā.
Krishna 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, and a Yavana princess.
The Mahabharat epic also tells that he incarnates as Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna in his next birth. Thus, Abhimanyu has the ability to kill Krishna at a later point.
References
- Myths and Legends of the Hindus and Bhuddhists by Sister Nivedita & Ananda K.Coomaraswamy, 2001 ISBN 81-7505-197-3
- Dowson's Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology