09-08-2008, 05:23 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Alas, Hindus keep on trying to confirm all the negative stereotypes
about themselves, i.c. their lack of historical sense. Here, it is
pretended that since eternity, Sanskrit has had a word Yavana meaning
foreigner. No, first it had no such word. then it heard of Greek
Ionians, or Yona in Prakrit, then sanskritizing this to Yavana. then
when proper Greeks disappeared from the horizon, it came to mean any
foreigner coming from the West. Moreover, this unhistorical
misunderstanding is then proposed as a *correction* to the proper
explanation with historical depth.
Kind regards,
KE
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It is always good to look at the primary texts and their contexts. One can find with a pre-conceived mind (Yavanas are Ionians) always some connections which will fit, but others which don't are treated as symbolic.
But we have to be careful with homonyms. Gurjars are not Georgians or Hazars,etc.
Turvasu and Yavana
Vishnupurana IV.10 Gives the genealogy of the Nahusha Ailas. Devayani, the daughter of Bhrgu gives birth to Yadu and Turvasu. Yadu gets the south (Brahma., Hariv.) or southwest (Vayu.) and Turvasu the southeast. (Bhagavata places them in the west): dishi dakShiNa-pUrvasyAM turvasuM matimAn nR^ipaH || Harivamsha 1-30-17. Turvasu became the ruler of the SE!
Vishnupurana IV.16 Descendants of Turvasu
PARÃÅARA.--I shall now summarily give you an account of the descendants of Turvasu.
The son of Turvasu was Vahni; his son was Gobánu; his son was TraiÅámba; his son was Karandhama; his son was Marutta. Marutta had no children, and he therefore adopted Dushyanta, of the family of Puru; by which the line of Turvasu merged into that of Puru 4. This took place in consequence of the malediction denounced on his son by Yayáti.
Notes Wlson:
442:4 Besides Bharata, who, as will be hereafter seen, was the son of Dushyanta, the Váyu, Matsya, Agni, and Bráhma PuránÌas enumerate several descendants in this line, for the purpose evidently of introducing, as the posterity of Turvasu, the nations of the south of India: the series is Varuttha, (Karutthama, Bráhma), ÃndÃra (ÃkrÃra, Bráhma); whose sons are PánÌdÌya, KarnÌátÌa, Chola, Kerala; the Hari V. adds Kola, and the Agni very incorrectly Gandhára.
Turvasus, thus according to the Puranas, were in the SE (of Aryavarta) and one branch merged with Purus, went to the south, and one went to the west (Bhagavata development): Agnipurana may be correct that they went further to Gandhara. These are the Yavanas. Says the Mahabharata:
yadostu yaadavaa jaataasturvasostu yavanah smrtah (MBh adiparva 136)
(One may wonder whether the Yavanas had not initially some (adopted) Munda or Dravidian affinities, before they moved on.)
The Yavana subbranch of Turvasus also came to the west. We see Raja Bhagadatta with Yavanas the Ajaneya horses, vessels of iron, and swords of hilts of ivory. (Vishnupurana VI.)
This would place Yavanas (still) in India during Mahabharata times, to the west of Mathura and Avanti. (Bhagavata development of Turvasus in the west, with Yavanas as subbranch)
The Kalayavana (Gargya) episode and Yavanas may refer to this time when they were in India. This king Bhagadatta may have appointed Kalayavana Gargya as his heir. It was Kalayavana who led the attack to Mathura.
Kalayavana episode Vishnupurana V.13
Birth of Kálayavana: he advances against Mathurá. KrishnÌa builds Dwáraká, and sends thither the Yádava tribe: he leads Kálayavana into the cave of Muchukunda: the latter awakes, consumes the Yavana king, and praises KrishnÌa.
The king of the Yavanas, who was childless, became the friend of Gárgya; and the latter begot a son by his wife, who was as black as a bee, and was thence called Kálayavana. The Yavana king having placed his son, whose breast was as hard as the point of the thunderbolt, upon the throne, retired to the woods. Inflated with conceit of his prowess, Kálayavana demanded of Nárada who were the most mighty heroes on earth. To which the sage answered, "The Yádavas."
Accordingly Kálayavana assembled many myriads of Mlechchhas and barbarians, and with a vast armament of elephants, cavalry, chariots, and foot, advanced impatiently against Mathurá and the Yádavas; wearying every day the animal that carried him, but insensible of fatigue himself. â¦
Thus reflecting, KrishnÌa solicited a space of twelve furlongs from the ocean, and there he built the city of Dwáraka, defended by high ramparts, and beautified with gardens and reservoirs of water, crowded with houses and buildings, and splendid as the capital of Indra, AmarávatÃ. Thither Janárddana conducted the inhabitants of Mathurá, and then awaited at that city the approach of Kálayavana.
When the hostile army encamped round Mathura, KrishnÌa unarmed went forth, and beheld the Yavana king. Kálayavana, the strong-armed, recognizing Vásudeva, pursued him; him whom the thoughts of perfect ascetics cannot overtake. Thus pursued, KrishnÌa entered a large cavern, where Muchukunda, the king of men, was asleep. The rash Yavana entering the cave, and beholding a man lying asleep there, concluded it must be KrishnÌa, and kicked him; at which Muchukunda awoke, and casting on him an angry glance, the Yavana was instantly consumed, and reduced to ashes.
The Mlechchhas and/or barbarians against KrishnÌa
In the Mahabharata Sabhaparva KrishnÌaâs war with Jarasandha (a Vasava Kuru king) is described with Yadavas being led to the west to remain out of reach of that king, but no account is given of any siege of Mathura by Kalayavana. Bhagadatta, is called a Yavana king, who chastised Muru and Naraka, ruled in the west and is one of Jarasandhaâs most attached feudatories. Sabhaparva 13.13-14:
muram ca narakam caiva ÅhÄsti yo yavanÄdhipau
aparyantabalo rÄjÄ pratÄ«cyÄm varuno yathÄ ||13||
bhagadatto mahÄrÄja vrddhas tava pituh sakhÄ
sa vÄcÄ pranatas tasya karmanÄ caiva bhÄrata ||14||
That king of the Yavanas, who hath chastised Muru and Naraka,whose power is unlimited, and who ruleth the west like another Varuna, is King Bhagadatta, who is the old friend of thy father, hath bowed his head (before Jarasandha), by speech and specially by act, O Bharata.
NOTE: This king is in various other places called king of Pragjyotisha, as he is in a subsequent passage of the Sabhaparva. This Bhagadatta, king of Yavanas, is not the same as the eastern king. We must have two Bhagadattas. Shantiparva 340 (enumerating slaying many demons separates them: First the king of the Narakas, named together with Muru and Pitha, is slain. Then another is slain, who is king of Pragjyotisha! It also refers to Kalayavana briefly:
There, after slaying innumerable Danavas that will be thorns in the side of the deities, I shall take up my residence in Kusasthali at the city of Dwaraka. While residing in that city I shall slay the Asura Naraka, the son of 'the Earth,--him, that is, who will do an injury to Aditi, as also some 'other Danavas of the names of Muru and Pitha. Slaying also another foremost of Danavas, viz., the lord of Pragjyotisha, I shall transplant his delightful city furnished with diverse kinds of wealth into Dwaraka.
â¦
I shall next, O foremost of Brahmanas, compass the death of Kalayavana, a Danava who will be endued with great might in consequence of his being equipt with the energy of Gargya.
The Yavana king rules somewhere in the west, in the Varuna direction, close to the sea. Naraka is one of the hells, probably here referring to Rasa-tala, or a river close to the Narmada Valley upto its mouth: âthe Narmadá and Surasá from the Vindhya hillsâ (Vi.pur II.3.19). Su-Rasa, the river of one of the Narakas called Rasa-tala, in the Vindhyas. Surasá, in another connection, is also mother of the Nagas. (bhu-janga => bhumi connection).
The Narmada enters the sea at Bhrgukaccha, showing the sphere of influence of the Bhargavas (Mundah) to the Yavana Turvasus.
This also tallies with the Mucukundas close to Mahishmati area, a city founded by an ancient Raja Mucukunda.
The Mlecchas and barbarians referred in the text would mean certain Prakrit and non-Prakrit speaking tribes and tribals in that area.
This would mean that the Mathura Yadavas were threatened from two directions: from the south/southwest and from the east. First the Yadavas moved to the west to escape attacks and threats from the east by Jarasandha. Then after having won over Bhagadatta to his side, his adopted heir Kalayavana attacked them from the southwest.
Vedic Sanskrit Javana > Paninian Sanskrit Yavana
Horse
Both Javana and Yavana are connected with speed and horses, feminine has also curtain. (perhaps of such material as the kambalas of their neighbours or cousins, the Kambojas. Kambojas are also famous for horse and horse trade. Ashvayanas and Ashvakayanas. Iranic affiliation of Kambojas, perhaps through Iranic Yavanas)
The Brahmanda Purana (Upodghata-pada, 16-17) refers to the horses born in Yavana country.
Javana > Yavana has a swiftness connection. So does Turvasu: tur = to hurry, to run, press forward. Turvasu or Vedic Turvasha is always connected with Yadu.
Mundah
Ganapatha on Panini has:: kamboja-mun.d.ah yavana-mun.d.ah (Ganapatha II.1.72)
Mahabharata has: mundanetan...Kambojaneva (MBH 7.119.26-27);
Munda = shaven. If it is the head which is shaven, then it points to a custom of Bhargava haircut. Previously the Kambojas had a Vasishtha haircut: kapardin to the right of the head as per Paraskara GS.
Yavana
1. mfn. quick, swift; m. a swift horse L. (javana).
2. m. a Yavana (or a king of the Yavanas, gana kambojaádi; also an Indo-Greek, in later times also a Muhammadan, European, any foreigner or barbarian) Mn. MBh. etc.;
N. of a caste Gaut.DS (accord. to L. "the legitimate son of a Kshatriya and a Vaishyâ or "an Ugra who is an elephant catcher")
N. of a country (= yavana-desha) W.;
wheat L.; a carrot L.; olibanum L.;
pl. the Yavanas; the Bactrian Greeks (esp. the Greek astrologers) MBh. VarBRS. etc.; N. of a dynasty Puranas;
Yavanii
1. f. the wife of a Yavana; the wife of an Indo-Greek or Muhammadan woman Kâlid. Sish. (Yavana girls were formerly employed as attendants on kings, esp. to take charge of their bows and quivers); yavanii = javanii, a curtain L.;
2. n. salt from saline soil L.
Jávana
1. mf(ii)n. (g. dRDhaádi; oxyt. PâN 3-2, 150) quick, swift, fleet RV. i, 51, 2 ShvetUp. iii, 19 MBh. etc.;
2. m. a fleet horse L.; a kind of deer L.; N. of one of Skanda's attendants MBh. ix, 2577; pl. for yav, q.v. Kshitîsh.;
3. n. speed, velocity PârGR. i, 17 ShâGkhGR. MBh. iv, 1414;
Javanii
f. a curtain, screen L.; N. of a plant L.;
Verbal root and rootstem
I. juu
(cf. jinv), cl, i. Ã., 9. P. jávate, junaáti ( ju, cl. 1. P. javati Dhâtup. xxii, 60, v.l.; a Sautra root PâN 3-2, 177; 3, 97 and 4, 80 Kâsh.; Subj. 2. sg. junaás; aor, Subj. juujuvat; pf. 3. pl. juujuvur) to, press forwards, hurry on, be quick RV. iii, 33, 1 ShBr. x; to impel quickly, urge or drive on, incite RV. TS. vi; to scare RV. i, 169, 3; to excite, promote, animate, inspire RV.: Caus. aor. ajiijavat PâN 7-4, 80 Sch.: Caus. Desid. jijavayiSati ib. Kâsh.;
II: juú
1. mfn. (PâN 3-2, 177 and 178 Vârtt. 2) quick, speedy, (m.) courser RV. i, 134, 1 and 140, 4; (ii, 14, 3?, acc. pl.; 2. júr); inciting, driving VS. ii, 17 ShBr. x, 3, 5, 2 and 5,;
2. f. speed L.; the atmosphere L.; a female goblin L.; Sarasvatî L.; a spot on the forehead (?) of horses and oxen UN. Sch.;
Yavanaanii f. the writing of the Yavanas PâN 4-1, 49 Vârtt. 3 Pat.
Yavana mfn. (1. yu) keeping away, averting ( dveSo-yávana). < Vedic accent!
1: yaavana
mf(ii)n. (fr. yavana; for 2. and 3. p. 853, col. 1) born or produced in the land of the Yavanas, Prâyashc.; m. olibanum L. _
2: yaavana
n. (fr. Caus.; for 1. p. 852, col. 3; for 3. below) keeping off, removing Nir. Sây. _
3: yaavana
n. (fr. Caus.) uniting, joining, mixing ( a-y).
yavaana
mfn. quick, swift L. (prob. w.r. for javaana).
The Mahaniddesa refers to Yona and Parama Yona. (yonas in gandhara and kandahar?)
Yavana Jataka by Yavanacharya
He was an Acharya, a Yavana, in the court of an Indo-Greek. King Sphurjidhvaja has recorded his teachings. Yavana astrologers may have been non-Greeks, ruled by Indo-Greeks, and influenced by Babylonian, Persian and Greek sciences.
Yona mentioned in Ashoka's edicts
Ashoka refers to a Seleucid king (Antiochus I or II) as "Amtiyoko... Yonaraja", and in other rock edicts the name Yona is applied to a peripheral province ("rajavisaya", i.e. royal dominion) of his empire that was contiguous to Kamboja and Gandhara, and that was almost certainly Arachosia (the Kandahar region), where *all* known Ashokan Greek inscriptions, directed to the king's Greek-speaking subjects, are or were once located. Arachosia has long been assumed to be a key Seleucid administrative center. [F. Brighenti]
NOTE: Yona is an ancient visaya. Whoever ruled over it was a Yona raja. As the Indo-Greek ruled over it, he was a Yona-raja or king over Yona visaya. The overlord of the Indo-Greek regent of Yona visaya was Antiochus, which naturally makes him the Yona-raja. Antiochus of course never ruled in Yona visaya. All the Indo-Greek people connected with the regent over Yona-raja were then considered as Yonas.
Yona visaya as Arachosia is an ancient Avestan center.
From Gujarat to Arachosia and Ghazni was also the route of the Yadavas. The Jaisalmer Bhati Rajputs returned after Arab attacks from Ghazni to the Panjab and then to Jaisalmer. So there is no problem in having Yavana Turvasus moving there. (and get partially Iranized; also moving to Gandhara, perhaps the Parama Yonas).
The Greek influence in the Indo-Greek ruled Yona visaya is especially with reference to astrology. I do not know how much is Iranian knowledge, influenced by Babylonia and perhaps through these Irianian sphere having retrieved some Greek knowledge.
Basically, it would be interesting to see whether Yonas, as Iranized Indians, had internalized Iranian astrology (through Babylon) with Greek influences. Which means that (Indo-)Greeks may not directly have been the Acharyas (like Yavanacharya), but the Iranized Indian Yonas themselves. On the contrary, one can see Indo-Greeks becoming Bauddha (Menandros) and Vaishnava (Heliodoros)!
Thus, I believe that too much weight or importance is given to Yavana and Greek connections. The Mahabharata doesn't really support a Yavana coming from the west. It would be strange why it would make Yavanas as a branch of Turvasus. It really makes sense that they were of the same ethnic and/or cultural group as the southern off shoot Turvasu groups. The location close to the Vindhya and Narmada also supports connections with tribes of the Vindhya and further south. (If the Yavana Turvasus are related to southern people, can they be an early branched off tribe which entered Brahui areas? Are they the Brahui speakers??)
The location there also supports their Paninian "Mundah" status connected with the Bhrgus os bhrgukaccha. Besides, the whole Kalayavana episode doesn't resemble episodes of an Indo-Greek invasion of the 2nd century. None of the Sanskrit names resembles any Indo-Greek name in meaning or sound.
Besides, none of the Persian inscriptions of Darius never place Yauna or Yauna takbara areas, referring to Ionians of Asia Minor. in the east! There may have been pockets of Ionian mercenaries of the Persian army in the east, but they were too insignificant. And these certainly weren't scholars. Alexander doesn't refer to having met any Greek (ruled) province in Arachosia.
about themselves, i.c. their lack of historical sense. Here, it is
pretended that since eternity, Sanskrit has had a word Yavana meaning
foreigner. No, first it had no such word. then it heard of Greek
Ionians, or Yona in Prakrit, then sanskritizing this to Yavana. then
when proper Greeks disappeared from the horizon, it came to mean any
foreigner coming from the West. Moreover, this unhistorical
misunderstanding is then proposed as a *correction* to the proper
explanation with historical depth.
Kind regards,
KE
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It is always good to look at the primary texts and their contexts. One can find with a pre-conceived mind (Yavanas are Ionians) always some connections which will fit, but others which don't are treated as symbolic.
But we have to be careful with homonyms. Gurjars are not Georgians or Hazars,etc.
Turvasu and Yavana
Vishnupurana IV.10 Gives the genealogy of the Nahusha Ailas. Devayani, the daughter of Bhrgu gives birth to Yadu and Turvasu. Yadu gets the south (Brahma., Hariv.) or southwest (Vayu.) and Turvasu the southeast. (Bhagavata places them in the west): dishi dakShiNa-pUrvasyAM turvasuM matimAn nR^ipaH || Harivamsha 1-30-17. Turvasu became the ruler of the SE!
Vishnupurana IV.16 Descendants of Turvasu
PARÃÅARA.--I shall now summarily give you an account of the descendants of Turvasu.
The son of Turvasu was Vahni; his son was Gobánu; his son was TraiÅámba; his son was Karandhama; his son was Marutta. Marutta had no children, and he therefore adopted Dushyanta, of the family of Puru; by which the line of Turvasu merged into that of Puru 4. This took place in consequence of the malediction denounced on his son by Yayáti.
Notes Wlson:
442:4 Besides Bharata, who, as will be hereafter seen, was the son of Dushyanta, the Váyu, Matsya, Agni, and Bráhma PuránÌas enumerate several descendants in this line, for the purpose evidently of introducing, as the posterity of Turvasu, the nations of the south of India: the series is Varuttha, (Karutthama, Bráhma), ÃndÃra (ÃkrÃra, Bráhma); whose sons are PánÌdÌya, KarnÌátÌa, Chola, Kerala; the Hari V. adds Kola, and the Agni very incorrectly Gandhára.
Turvasus, thus according to the Puranas, were in the SE (of Aryavarta) and one branch merged with Purus, went to the south, and one went to the west (Bhagavata development): Agnipurana may be correct that they went further to Gandhara. These are the Yavanas. Says the Mahabharata:
yadostu yaadavaa jaataasturvasostu yavanah smrtah (MBh adiparva 136)
(One may wonder whether the Yavanas had not initially some (adopted) Munda or Dravidian affinities, before they moved on.)
The Yavana subbranch of Turvasus also came to the west. We see Raja Bhagadatta with Yavanas the Ajaneya horses, vessels of iron, and swords of hilts of ivory. (Vishnupurana VI.)
This would place Yavanas (still) in India during Mahabharata times, to the west of Mathura and Avanti. (Bhagavata development of Turvasus in the west, with Yavanas as subbranch)
The Kalayavana (Gargya) episode and Yavanas may refer to this time when they were in India. This king Bhagadatta may have appointed Kalayavana Gargya as his heir. It was Kalayavana who led the attack to Mathura.
Kalayavana episode Vishnupurana V.13
Birth of Kálayavana: he advances against Mathurá. KrishnÌa builds Dwáraká, and sends thither the Yádava tribe: he leads Kálayavana into the cave of Muchukunda: the latter awakes, consumes the Yavana king, and praises KrishnÌa.
The king of the Yavanas, who was childless, became the friend of Gárgya; and the latter begot a son by his wife, who was as black as a bee, and was thence called Kálayavana. The Yavana king having placed his son, whose breast was as hard as the point of the thunderbolt, upon the throne, retired to the woods. Inflated with conceit of his prowess, Kálayavana demanded of Nárada who were the most mighty heroes on earth. To which the sage answered, "The Yádavas."
Accordingly Kálayavana assembled many myriads of Mlechchhas and barbarians, and with a vast armament of elephants, cavalry, chariots, and foot, advanced impatiently against Mathurá and the Yádavas; wearying every day the animal that carried him, but insensible of fatigue himself. â¦
Thus reflecting, KrishnÌa solicited a space of twelve furlongs from the ocean, and there he built the city of Dwáraka, defended by high ramparts, and beautified with gardens and reservoirs of water, crowded with houses and buildings, and splendid as the capital of Indra, AmarávatÃ. Thither Janárddana conducted the inhabitants of Mathurá, and then awaited at that city the approach of Kálayavana.
When the hostile army encamped round Mathura, KrishnÌa unarmed went forth, and beheld the Yavana king. Kálayavana, the strong-armed, recognizing Vásudeva, pursued him; him whom the thoughts of perfect ascetics cannot overtake. Thus pursued, KrishnÌa entered a large cavern, where Muchukunda, the king of men, was asleep. The rash Yavana entering the cave, and beholding a man lying asleep there, concluded it must be KrishnÌa, and kicked him; at which Muchukunda awoke, and casting on him an angry glance, the Yavana was instantly consumed, and reduced to ashes.
The Mlechchhas and/or barbarians against KrishnÌa
In the Mahabharata Sabhaparva KrishnÌaâs war with Jarasandha (a Vasava Kuru king) is described with Yadavas being led to the west to remain out of reach of that king, but no account is given of any siege of Mathura by Kalayavana. Bhagadatta, is called a Yavana king, who chastised Muru and Naraka, ruled in the west and is one of Jarasandhaâs most attached feudatories. Sabhaparva 13.13-14:
muram ca narakam caiva ÅhÄsti yo yavanÄdhipau
aparyantabalo rÄjÄ pratÄ«cyÄm varuno yathÄ ||13||
bhagadatto mahÄrÄja vrddhas tava pituh sakhÄ
sa vÄcÄ pranatas tasya karmanÄ caiva bhÄrata ||14||
That king of the Yavanas, who hath chastised Muru and Naraka,whose power is unlimited, and who ruleth the west like another Varuna, is King Bhagadatta, who is the old friend of thy father, hath bowed his head (before Jarasandha), by speech and specially by act, O Bharata.
NOTE: This king is in various other places called king of Pragjyotisha, as he is in a subsequent passage of the Sabhaparva. This Bhagadatta, king of Yavanas, is not the same as the eastern king. We must have two Bhagadattas. Shantiparva 340 (enumerating slaying many demons separates them: First the king of the Narakas, named together with Muru and Pitha, is slain. Then another is slain, who is king of Pragjyotisha! It also refers to Kalayavana briefly:
There, after slaying innumerable Danavas that will be thorns in the side of the deities, I shall take up my residence in Kusasthali at the city of Dwaraka. While residing in that city I shall slay the Asura Naraka, the son of 'the Earth,--him, that is, who will do an injury to Aditi, as also some 'other Danavas of the names of Muru and Pitha. Slaying also another foremost of Danavas, viz., the lord of Pragjyotisha, I shall transplant his delightful city furnished with diverse kinds of wealth into Dwaraka.
â¦
I shall next, O foremost of Brahmanas, compass the death of Kalayavana, a Danava who will be endued with great might in consequence of his being equipt with the energy of Gargya.
The Yavana king rules somewhere in the west, in the Varuna direction, close to the sea. Naraka is one of the hells, probably here referring to Rasa-tala, or a river close to the Narmada Valley upto its mouth: âthe Narmadá and Surasá from the Vindhya hillsâ (Vi.pur II.3.19). Su-Rasa, the river of one of the Narakas called Rasa-tala, in the Vindhyas. Surasá, in another connection, is also mother of the Nagas. (bhu-janga => bhumi connection).
The Narmada enters the sea at Bhrgukaccha, showing the sphere of influence of the Bhargavas (Mundah) to the Yavana Turvasus.
This also tallies with the Mucukundas close to Mahishmati area, a city founded by an ancient Raja Mucukunda.
The Mlecchas and barbarians referred in the text would mean certain Prakrit and non-Prakrit speaking tribes and tribals in that area.
This would mean that the Mathura Yadavas were threatened from two directions: from the south/southwest and from the east. First the Yadavas moved to the west to escape attacks and threats from the east by Jarasandha. Then after having won over Bhagadatta to his side, his adopted heir Kalayavana attacked them from the southwest.
Vedic Sanskrit Javana > Paninian Sanskrit Yavana
Horse
Both Javana and Yavana are connected with speed and horses, feminine has also curtain. (perhaps of such material as the kambalas of their neighbours or cousins, the Kambojas. Kambojas are also famous for horse and horse trade. Ashvayanas and Ashvakayanas. Iranic affiliation of Kambojas, perhaps through Iranic Yavanas)
The Brahmanda Purana (Upodghata-pada, 16-17) refers to the horses born in Yavana country.
Javana > Yavana has a swiftness connection. So does Turvasu: tur = to hurry, to run, press forward. Turvasu or Vedic Turvasha is always connected with Yadu.
Mundah
Ganapatha on Panini has:: kamboja-mun.d.ah yavana-mun.d.ah (Ganapatha II.1.72)
Mahabharata has: mundanetan...Kambojaneva (MBH 7.119.26-27);
Munda = shaven. If it is the head which is shaven, then it points to a custom of Bhargava haircut. Previously the Kambojas had a Vasishtha haircut: kapardin to the right of the head as per Paraskara GS.
Yavana
1. mfn. quick, swift; m. a swift horse L. (javana).
2. m. a Yavana (or a king of the Yavanas, gana kambojaádi; also an Indo-Greek, in later times also a Muhammadan, European, any foreigner or barbarian) Mn. MBh. etc.;
N. of a caste Gaut.DS (accord. to L. "the legitimate son of a Kshatriya and a Vaishyâ or "an Ugra who is an elephant catcher")
N. of a country (= yavana-desha) W.;
wheat L.; a carrot L.; olibanum L.;
pl. the Yavanas; the Bactrian Greeks (esp. the Greek astrologers) MBh. VarBRS. etc.; N. of a dynasty Puranas;
Yavanii
1. f. the wife of a Yavana; the wife of an Indo-Greek or Muhammadan woman Kâlid. Sish. (Yavana girls were formerly employed as attendants on kings, esp. to take charge of their bows and quivers); yavanii = javanii, a curtain L.;
2. n. salt from saline soil L.
Jávana
1. mf(ii)n. (g. dRDhaádi; oxyt. PâN 3-2, 150) quick, swift, fleet RV. i, 51, 2 ShvetUp. iii, 19 MBh. etc.;
2. m. a fleet horse L.; a kind of deer L.; N. of one of Skanda's attendants MBh. ix, 2577; pl. for yav, q.v. Kshitîsh.;
3. n. speed, velocity PârGR. i, 17 ShâGkhGR. MBh. iv, 1414;
Javanii
f. a curtain, screen L.; N. of a plant L.;
Verbal root and rootstem
I. juu
(cf. jinv), cl, i. Ã., 9. P. jávate, junaáti ( ju, cl. 1. P. javati Dhâtup. xxii, 60, v.l.; a Sautra root PâN 3-2, 177; 3, 97 and 4, 80 Kâsh.; Subj. 2. sg. junaás; aor, Subj. juujuvat; pf. 3. pl. juujuvur) to, press forwards, hurry on, be quick RV. iii, 33, 1 ShBr. x; to impel quickly, urge or drive on, incite RV. TS. vi; to scare RV. i, 169, 3; to excite, promote, animate, inspire RV.: Caus. aor. ajiijavat PâN 7-4, 80 Sch.: Caus. Desid. jijavayiSati ib. Kâsh.;
II: juú
1. mfn. (PâN 3-2, 177 and 178 Vârtt. 2) quick, speedy, (m.) courser RV. i, 134, 1 and 140, 4; (ii, 14, 3?, acc. pl.; 2. júr); inciting, driving VS. ii, 17 ShBr. x, 3, 5, 2 and 5,;
2. f. speed L.; the atmosphere L.; a female goblin L.; Sarasvatî L.; a spot on the forehead (?) of horses and oxen UN. Sch.;
Yavanaanii f. the writing of the Yavanas PâN 4-1, 49 Vârtt. 3 Pat.
Yavana mfn. (1. yu) keeping away, averting ( dveSo-yávana). < Vedic accent!
1: yaavana
mf(ii)n. (fr. yavana; for 2. and 3. p. 853, col. 1) born or produced in the land of the Yavanas, Prâyashc.; m. olibanum L. _
2: yaavana
n. (fr. Caus.; for 1. p. 852, col. 3; for 3. below) keeping off, removing Nir. Sây. _
3: yaavana
n. (fr. Caus.) uniting, joining, mixing ( a-y).
yavaana
mfn. quick, swift L. (prob. w.r. for javaana).
The Mahaniddesa refers to Yona and Parama Yona. (yonas in gandhara and kandahar?)
Yavana Jataka by Yavanacharya
He was an Acharya, a Yavana, in the court of an Indo-Greek. King Sphurjidhvaja has recorded his teachings. Yavana astrologers may have been non-Greeks, ruled by Indo-Greeks, and influenced by Babylonian, Persian and Greek sciences.
Yona mentioned in Ashoka's edicts
Ashoka refers to a Seleucid king (Antiochus I or II) as "Amtiyoko... Yonaraja", and in other rock edicts the name Yona is applied to a peripheral province ("rajavisaya", i.e. royal dominion) of his empire that was contiguous to Kamboja and Gandhara, and that was almost certainly Arachosia (the Kandahar region), where *all* known Ashokan Greek inscriptions, directed to the king's Greek-speaking subjects, are or were once located. Arachosia has long been assumed to be a key Seleucid administrative center. [F. Brighenti]
NOTE: Yona is an ancient visaya. Whoever ruled over it was a Yona raja. As the Indo-Greek ruled over it, he was a Yona-raja or king over Yona visaya. The overlord of the Indo-Greek regent of Yona visaya was Antiochus, which naturally makes him the Yona-raja. Antiochus of course never ruled in Yona visaya. All the Indo-Greek people connected with the regent over Yona-raja were then considered as Yonas.
Yona visaya as Arachosia is an ancient Avestan center.
From Gujarat to Arachosia and Ghazni was also the route of the Yadavas. The Jaisalmer Bhati Rajputs returned after Arab attacks from Ghazni to the Panjab and then to Jaisalmer. So there is no problem in having Yavana Turvasus moving there. (and get partially Iranized; also moving to Gandhara, perhaps the Parama Yonas).
The Greek influence in the Indo-Greek ruled Yona visaya is especially with reference to astrology. I do not know how much is Iranian knowledge, influenced by Babylonia and perhaps through these Irianian sphere having retrieved some Greek knowledge.
Basically, it would be interesting to see whether Yonas, as Iranized Indians, had internalized Iranian astrology (through Babylon) with Greek influences. Which means that (Indo-)Greeks may not directly have been the Acharyas (like Yavanacharya), but the Iranized Indian Yonas themselves. On the contrary, one can see Indo-Greeks becoming Bauddha (Menandros) and Vaishnava (Heliodoros)!
Thus, I believe that too much weight or importance is given to Yavana and Greek connections. The Mahabharata doesn't really support a Yavana coming from the west. It would be strange why it would make Yavanas as a branch of Turvasus. It really makes sense that they were of the same ethnic and/or cultural group as the southern off shoot Turvasu groups. The location close to the Vindhya and Narmada also supports connections with tribes of the Vindhya and further south. (If the Yavana Turvasus are related to southern people, can they be an early branched off tribe which entered Brahui areas? Are they the Brahui speakers??)
The location there also supports their Paninian "Mundah" status connected with the Bhrgus os bhrgukaccha. Besides, the whole Kalayavana episode doesn't resemble episodes of an Indo-Greek invasion of the 2nd century. None of the Sanskrit names resembles any Indo-Greek name in meaning or sound.
Besides, none of the Persian inscriptions of Darius never place Yauna or Yauna takbara areas, referring to Ionians of Asia Minor. in the east! There may have been pockets of Ionian mercenaries of the Persian army in the east, but they were too insignificant. And these certainly weren't scholars. Alexander doesn't refer to having met any Greek (ruled) province in Arachosia.