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Story Of Kalyavan And Sri Krishna – Story Of Death Of Kalyavan

Kalyavan was the son of Garga Rishi and the story of his death is associated with Bhagavan Sri Krishna. He was a Yavana (Greek) as Garga Rishi had married a Yavana princess.

Garga Rishi was once insulted by Yadavas and he then wished for a son who would be powerful enough to defeat the Yadavas.

After his birth, Kalyavan propitiated Shiva through intense penance and gained the boon that he will not be killed by a person born in the Yadava clan.


Kalayavan then attacked the Yadavas and defeated them.

Sri Krishna and Balarama knew that they will not be able to kill Kalyavan as they had to respect the boon given by Shiva.

So to kill Kalyavan, Sri Krishna acts as if he is running away from Kalyavan. The ignorant king chases Sri Krishna who enters the cave in which King Muchukunda was sleeping.

Story of King Muchukunda

King Muchukunda ruled the earth during the Krita Yuga. He helped the Devas in the in the battle against Asuras. Then Kartik, son of Shiva, took over as the general of the army of the Devas. Now Devas decided to give Muchukunda the much-needed rest.

But the earth had changed so much during the period. Thousands of years had elapsed and there was no one on earth that King Muchukunda could relate to. So the King wanted to attain moksha. The Devas wanted to help Muchukunda for his service. But they were incapable of granting moksha to the king as it can only be granted by Srihari Vishnu.

The king then said that he was tired and he needed rest. He asked for a boon that will make him sleep for a very long time. He also wanted the one who wakes him up to be burnt to ashes. The boon was granted.

The king slept in a cave on earth through Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, and Dwapara Yuga.

Story of the Death of Kalyavan 

In the dark cave, Kalyavan mistakes King Muchukunda for Sri Krishna and forcibly wakes him up by kicking him. An angry King Muchukunda looked at Kalyavan. Suddenly fire sprang out from the eyes of the king and Kalyavan was converted into a heap of ashes.

Muchukunda who was now fully awake was blessed with the rare sighting of Srihari Vishnu. Sri Krishna appeared before the king in the form of Vishnu.

The king was granted moksha for his devotion.