Harivamsa, Harivamsa Parva, chapter 35, verses 12-22 (Aryashastra 
recension of Bengal) 
narrated by VaishampAyana to Janamejaya. Abruptly, in the account of 
Vasudeva's progeny, 
this account is inserted:
ShaishirAyaNa was the husband of the Trigarta king's daughter. 
Questions arose 
about his masculinity and his potency because his seed was never 
ejaculated.\x{2014}12
Twelve years having passed thus (i.e. without issue), that Garga 
clanist (i.e. 
ShaishirAyana) was so filled with rage at the false scandal that his 
complexion turned 
the colour of black 'Ayasa' (bronze or iron).\x{2014}13 
He had intercourse with a Gopa maiden who was a celestial nymph named 
GopAlI 
disguised as a cowgirl.\x{2014}14
At the behest of ShulapAni (Shiva), that spouse of the Garga clanist 
bore that 
unbearable seed and delivered a mighty monarch named KAlayavana, the 
forequarters 
of whose war-steeds resembled oxen.\x{2014}15-16
That child grew up in the inner apartments of a childless Yavana king. 
Later, he 
became famous as KAlayavana.\x{2014}17 
Eager for battle, he began enquiring of the best of Brahmins about 
suitable 
adversaries. Narada informed him of the Vrishni and Andhaka clans.\x{2014}18 
Then with an army of an akshauhini he attacked Mathura and sent a 
messenger to the 
dwelling of the Vrishni-Andhakas.\x{2014}19 
Terrified of KAlayavana, the Vrishni-Andhakas jointly took counsel with 
the most 
intelligent Krishna.\x{2014}20
Finally, they decided to flee and, praying to PinAki (Shiva), abandoned 
delightful 
Mathura determining to live in DvAravatI located in KushasthalI.\x{2014}21

Vishnu Parva, chapter 52, verses 25-31:
ShAlva told BhIshmaka:
O king, now only the Yavana ruler KAlayavana can defeat Keshava as he 
cannot be 
killed by him.\x{2014}25
GArgya muni engaged in an extremely difficult and terrible ascesis for 
twelve years, 
worshiping Rudra desiring a son, taking only crushed iron. Satisfying 
Rudra thus, he 
prayed to Shankara that no inhabitant of Mathura should be able to kill 
this son. Rudra 
gave him such a son.\x{2014}26-28
Thus that son of GArgya was born of the god Rudra's blessing and cannot 
be killed 
by inhabitants of Mathura.\x{2014}29
Krishna despite his prowess was born in Mathura and therefore 
KAlayavana will 
surely conquer him by arriving in Mathura.\x{2014}30
If you assembled kings feel my words are appropriate, then send a 
messenger to that 
Yavana-Indra.\x{2014}31
Shalva was despatched as messenger because in his aerial vehicle he 
would be able to 
overcome any obstacles Krishna might create in a messenger's path.
Chapter 57 gives another account of KAlayavana's birth in verses 7-26, 
of which verses 
verses 14-17 are a reproduction of Harivamsa Parva's verses 15-18:
Great GArgya was the guru of Vrishnis and Andhakas who, at one time, 
remaining 
celibate was engaged in ascesis, abstaining from female contact. His 
brother-in-law 
defamed him in the court as a eunuch. Thus insulted, full of anger, he 
engaged in 
extremely difficult penance, worshipping the greatest of gods, 
ShUlapANi, eating 
only iron dust for twelve years. Then Rudra gave him the boon of an 
all-powerful son 
who had the ability to defeat Vrishinis and Andhakas in battle. At this 
time, a Yavana 
ruler heard of this boon. He was childless and keen to have a son. This 
Yavana king 
brought the hermit to his residence and kept him in a harem of Gopa 
women. Among 
them was an apsara named GopAlI who had assumed the form of a Gopa 
maiden. She 
bore that unbearable and unfailing seed of GArgya. As a result of 
ShUlapANi's boon, 
from the womb of that spouse of GArgya who was an apsara in human form, 
mighty 
hero KAlayavana was born. [According to the Vishnu Purana V.23, pleased 
with the 
service of the Yavana king, GArgya had intercourse with his wife who 
delivered a son 
black as a bumble-bee whose breast was as adamantine as Vajra. Making 
that 
KAlayavana king, the Yavana monarch left for the forest.] That infant 
was brought up 
in that childless king's inner apartments and after the king's death he 
became the ruler 
of that kingdom. Craving battle, that king enquired of the finest 
Brahmins and Narada 
informed him of the Vrishni-Andhakas. Despite being told of the boon by 
Narada, 
MadhusUdana ignored that hero brought up among Yavanas. That king of 
Yavanas 
waxed mighty in prowess and many Mleccha rulers sought his protection 
and 
followed him. Shaka, "TushAra, Drada, Parada, Shringala, Khasa, Pahlava 
and 
hundreds of other Himalayan mlecchas joined him. Innumerable as insects 
and 
bearing many types of weapons, surrounded by terrifying Dasyus that 
king attacked 
Mathura. With him were elephants, horses, donkeys and camels in 
thousands, lakhs 
and crores. The dust raised by his soldiers overshadowed the sun and 
their urine 
created new rivers. Created from the excreta and urine of horses and 
camels, this river 
was named Ashvashakrit. Learning of the arrival of this huge army, the 
Vrishni-
Andhaka leaders summoned Vasudeva and his kin and told them that 
because of 
PinAki (Shiva)'s boon, this enemy could not be killed at their hands. 
All efforts to 
satisfy him have failed as he is mad for battle. Krishna had sent him a 
messenger 
carrying a terribly poisonous black snake in a vessel to convey the 
message that 
Krishna was as deadly as it. KAlayavana, in response, placed many ants 
in that vessel 
who ate up that snake. Thereby he conveyed the innumerable strength of 
his army. 
Thereupon Krishna left Mathura and built Dvaraka. Then, knowing that 
KAlayavana 
could not be killed by him, he showed himself to KAlayavana and fled on 
foot, 
leading him to where king Muchukunda lay asleep since Treta Yuga in a 
cave. 
KAlayavana kicked the sleeping king, who awoke and burnt him to ashes 
with his 
furious glance, as he had that boon from Indra. Clever Krishna took 
over all the forces 
of KAlayavana and enhanced Dvaraka with those captured treasures.
Chapter 53 paints a picture of KAlayavana as an ideal monarch wedded to 
virtue, adept in all 
royal duties and of incomparable might. From the southern direction 
Shalva's aerial vehicle 
reaches his court and narrates Jarasandha's message of how Balarama and 
Krishna destroyed 
Jarasandha's forces who had set fire to Gomantaka mountain where they 
had taken shelter 
and Balarama spared his life. Jarasandha repeats how KAlayavana was 
born of the great 
hermit GArgya's twelve year long ascesis living only on iron dust, 
whereupon the crescent-
moon crowned god of gods blessed him with a son who cannot be slain by 
inhabitants of 
Mathura. KAlayavana is urged to attack Mathura since both Balarama and 
Krishna are 
Mathurans. 
At this point, Krishna returns to Mathura having spirited away Rukmini. 
Verse 51 of chapter 
55 has the interesting occurrence of each Mathura inhabitant being 
presented with ten 
"dInAra"\x{2014}a word that is of Roman origin.
It is Garuda who reconnoitres Kushasthali and advises Krishna that a 
city built there will be 
impregnable, being surrounded by the sea. When the Mathurans hear that 
KAlayavana is 
accompanying Jarasandha to attack them, they decide to shift westwards 
to Kushasthali 
where Dvaraka is built. 
Verse 28 of chapter 56 has the interesting information that at Mount 
Raivatak here Ekalavya 
lived and that Drona had also lived there.