Dhanvantari
Dhanvantari is the God of medicine and an avatar of Lord Vishnu. He is mentioned in the Puranas as the God of Ayurveda. He, during the churning of the ocean, arose from the ocean of milk with the nectar of immortality. People will pray to Dhanvantari seeking blessings, especially on Dhanteras or Dhanvantari Trayodasi.
The Indian Government has declared Dhanvantari Trayodasi as ‘National Ayurveda Day”.
The word Dhanvantari affords different interpretations-
The word “Dhanvan” means a “desert” (compared to Rigveda “Dhanvanchara” means he who moves in a desert).
There is a mantra in the veda- ‘Dhanvaan yiva prapaasi’- “Oh Lord, you are like the place where water is distributed to travellers in a desert”. Thus, Dhanvantari the incarnation of Lord Vishnu with a pot of nectar in his hand is like “Prapaa” (water spot) in the desert of worldly existence.
In Ramayana (Balakanda, 45th Sarga) described as a divine being who emerged from the milky ocean after a churning of 1000 years. He carried ‘Kamandal’ (water pitcher) in one hand.
Description of different references available on Lord Dhanvantri.
THE FIRST DHANVANTARI
Gods repeatedly defeated and killed by their cousins, the demons, approached Lord Vishnu, seeking the boon of rejuvenation and the gift of immortality. He then directed them to churn the primaeval ocean in which were hidden the secrets of life and death.
The Gods sought the help of the demons, to whom they promised part of the result with Vasuki as the rope and Mount Mandara as the churning rod, they churned the ocean till it yielded several valuable things.
Such as
- Kalpavruksham- Wish yielding tree,
- a cow- Kamadhenuvu,
- Goddess Lakshmi– the Devi of fortune and wealth,
- Apsaras – various divine nymphs like Rambha, Menaka etc., who chose the Gandharvas as their companions,
- Varuni – taken by the Asuras (She appeared dishevelled and argumentative),
- Airavata,
- Uchhaishravas – the divine seven-headed horse.
Three valuables were also produced
- Kausthuba -the most valuable gem in the world, worn by Lord Vishnu.
- Parijatha – Divine flowering tree with blossoms that never fade taken to Indralokam.
- Shaaranga – Powerful bow given to Lord Vishnu.
- Chandra – moon which adorned lord Shiva’s head. Halahala – poison swallowed by lord Shiva etc.
Finally, came Dhanvantari the divine physician, holding the pitcher of Amritha – the elixir of life that could bestow immortality.
The Harivamsa Purana described him as prosperous-looking and says that after emerging from the milky ocean, he stood worshipping Lord Vishnu. Vishnu named him Abja. Then he bowed down to Vishnu and said, “O Lord, I am your son. Please give me a share of the sacrifices to me. Vishnu replied “Portions of sacrifices have already been allotted.
Since you were born after the celestials, you cannot be considered as one of them. You will be born in the world of humans and then you will become a celebrity. In your second life, which will be in the Dvapara Yuga, even from the time of your conception, you will have various occult powers. You will be born as God – incarnate. You will compose works on Ayurveda which will be well known in all parts of the world”.
King Dhanva
In the Dvaparayuga, there was a king called Dhanva in the family of the rulers of Kasi. He did not have children for a long time. He performed penance and propitiated Abja (another name for Dhanvantari). Pleased by his austerities, Abja was born as his son. Dhanva named him Dhanvantari. Dhanvantari taught Ayurveda in parts, to eight disciples. To him were born Ketuman, Bhimartha and Divodasa.
There is a story in some Puranas connecting Dhanvantari with Parikshit, the grandson of the Pandavas when Takshaka wanted to bite Parikshit and kill him, a specialist in treating poisonous bites rushed to save the king. But Takshaka bribed and sent him back. It is said that the doctor thus sent back was Dhanvantari. But other references identify him with Kashyapa.
Dhanvantari and Manasa Devi
The Brahma Vaivarta Purana (Krishnajanma Khanda) has an interesting story connecting Dhanvantari with Manasa Devi, a serpent goddess. Once Dhanvantari was going to Kailasa along with his disciples. On the way, Takshaka hissed and spat venom. Irritated, one of the disciples of Dhanvantari boldly plucked the diamond from the head of Takshaka and threw it on the ground.
Hearing about this, Vasuki, the king of serpents, threatened Dhanvantari with thousands of serpents under the leadership of Drona, Pundarika and Dhananjaya. The poisonous breath of these snakes made the disciples of Dhanvantari Swoon. However, Dhanvantari made all of them recover with powerful medicines and in turn, sent all the serpents to a swoon.
When Vasuki came to know about this, he next sent the serpent maid Manasa Devi, a disciple of Lord Siva to face Dhanvantari. Manasa devi also made all the disciples of Dhanvantari swoon. But Dhanvantari proved more than a match for her. He brought back his disciples to normal with his powerful medicines. When Manasa Devi realized that she couldn’t harm Dhanvantari or his disciples with her poison, she took trisula which was given by Lord Shiva and aimed at Dhanvantari.
At this point, Shiva and Brahma appeared and calmed down everyone and sent them away. According to some other works, Dhanvantari was born as Divodasa, king of Kasi. He became famous as Kasiraja and composed many texts on Ayurveda. Glorification of these works is to be found in the Agni Purana and the works of Kasiraja’s disciple Sushrutha.
Smitamatra artinasanah
The Bhagavata Purana refers to Dhanvantari as “Smitamatra artinasanah” (one who destroys all sufferings even when remembered). Dhanvantari, Divodasa, and Kasiraja are names of the same person who is “the first God and who freed the other Gods from old age, diseases and death”.
Dhanvantari and Kumbhamela
Episodes are connecting Dhanvantari with the Kumbhamela river festival, which takes place once in 12 years at four different places – Haridwar, Allahabad, Nasik and Ujjain. As Dhanvantari emerged with the pot containing nectar in his palms, a great fight took place between Gods and demons to wrest the pitcher from his Hands. During the fierce battle that took place between Gods and demons to wrest the pitcher from his Hands.
During the fierce battle that took place in the sky, a few drops of nectar fell in the four places referred to. Hence these places became sacred. Kumbhamelas are held at these places to commemorate divine events. Devotees throng to these places in tens of thousands to purify and rejuvenate themselves with the waters, which are supposed to have within them the power of Amrita.
Dhanvantari Nighantu
Dhanvantari appears to have been an actual historical person, although his precise identity is hard, to be ascertained. While Dhanvantari is not credited with any medical treatise of his own, in the early accounts, there is a voluminous glossary and material medica known as “Dhanvantari Nighantu”.
Even as there is the Hippocrates oath for allopathy doctors. So is there a Dhanvantari oath for Ayurvedic practitioners. This work is considered the most ancient of all medical glossaries available. The original work is said to have been in three recessions and the present version may have been based on one of them.
This text in six sections deals with 373 medicinal substances, their names and synonyms and a brief description of their properties.
Article posted by Dr. Renu Dixit
