Lord Dhanvantari, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is revered as the God of Medicine and Ayurveda. He first appeared during the Samudra Manthan, holding the nectar of immortality (Amrita), and later incarnated on earth to teach Ayurveda, the ancient science of holistic healing. Devotees worship Him for good health, vitality, and protection from disease, especially on Dhanvantari Jayanti (Dhanteras). His teachings emphasize balance between body, mind, and spirit, ethical healing, and preventive healthcare principles still applied in modern holistic medicine.
In Hindu tradition, Lord Dhanvantari is revered as the God of Ayurveda and Medicine, the celestial healer who restores balance in the universe. According to the Puranas, He is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who appearing to deliver the infallible medical science, Ayurveda for the welfare of all beings.
In the Vedic culture and tradition, every aspect of life and the cosmos is related to a personal form of a deity who is believed to have control over it. For example – the Sun planet is maintained by Surya Dev (Sun God), Lord Varun is the presiding deity of the water bodies, and Goddess Lakshmi is the giver of wealth. Similarly, when it comes to the department of health and medicine, the name Lord Dhanvantari comes to mind.
Often depicted emerging from the cosmic ocean holding a pot of amrita (nectar of immortality), a conch, and medical herbs, Dhanvantari symbolizes divine healing energy and the power of rejuvenation. His very presence represents vitality, balance, and the triumph of wellness over disease.
The Vedic texts describe Dhanvantari as the origin of Ayurveda, the world’s oldest holistic healthcare system. Ayurveda is a holistic approach to health that balances and heals humans physically and mentally, thereby providing a purified consciousness for spiritual well-being. Dhanvantari Avatar did not appear only once but twice during this Kalpa (one Kalpa contains 1000 cycles of Chatur Yuga – Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapar Yuga, and Kali Yuga).
The Bhagavata Purana praises Him as “Smṛta-mātrārti-nāśanaḥ” “One who destroys all disease simply by being remembered.” This sacred verse forms the basis of devotional healing practices where remembering or chanting His name is believed to bring relief and protection.
One of the most powerful episodes in Hindu cosmology is the Samudra Manthan, or the Churning of the Cosmic Ocean of Milk. This divine event symbolizes the eternal struggle between good and evil, the quest for immortality and balance in creation. This episode is mentioned in many Puranas, and it is elaborately explained in the Bhagavata Purana.
Once, the great leader of the demigods Indra was riding on his divine elephant Airavata when he came across Durvasa Muni. Seeing the great demigod, Durvasa Muni offered him a special flower garland. Lord Indra accepted the garland and put it on the trunk of Airavata. The elephant threw the garland onto the floor, thus enraging Durvasa Muni who is known for his short temperament.
In a great rage, the sage explained that the garland was the dwelling of the Goddess of fortune, Lakshmi and was therefore to be treated as Prasada. He cursed Indra and all the demigods to be bereft of all strength, prosperity, and fortune, they turned to Lord Vishnu for help. The Lord advised them to form a temporary alliance with the demons (Asuras) to churn the ocean and obtain Amrita, the nectar of immortality.
Using the Mandara Mountain as the churning rod and the serpent Vasuki as the rope, both sides began the cosmic effort. Lord Vishnu Himself supported the process by taking the Kurma (tortoise) avatar to hold the mountain afloat.
As the ocean was churned, many divine treasures appeared celestial beings, sacred animals, precious gems, and finally, a radiant divine figure rose from the waters. The Bhagavat Purana states His characteristic features:
dīrgha-pīvara-dor-daṇḍaḥ
kambu-grīvo ’ruṇekṣaṇaḥ
śyāmalas taruṇaḥ sragvī
sarvābharaṇa-bhūṣitaḥ
(8.8.32)
“He was strongly built; His arms were very long, stout and strong; His eyes were reddish, and His complexion was black. He was very young, He was garlanded with flowers, and His entire body was fully decorated with various ornaments.”
pīta-vāsā mahoraskaḥ
sumṛṣṭa-maṇi-kuṇḍalaḥ
snigdha-kuñcita-keśānta-
subhagaḥ siṁha-vikramaḥ
amṛtāpūrṇa-kalasaṁ
bibhrad valaya-bhūṣitaḥ
(8.8.33)
“He was dressed in yellow garments and wore brightly polished earrings made of pearl. The tips of His hair were anointed with oil and His chest was very broad. His body had all good features, and He was stout and strong as a lion. In His hand, He carried a jug of nectar.”
This divine being was Lord Dhanvantari, the celestial physician, manifesting directly from the ocean by the will of Vishnu. His appearance marked the birth of divine healing, the source of Ayurveda and immortal vitality.
The moment Lord Dhanvantari appeared with the pot of nectar, the demons were overwhelmed with greed and snatched it away. To protect the balance of creation, Lord Vishnu appeared in his Mohini Avatar, a divine maiden of unparalleled beauty. Mohini distracted the demons with charm and wisdom, reclaimed the nectar, and ensured that it was distributed only among the gods.
The demigods took the nectar and drank it and gained back their power and energy. Thereafter, the demigods fought the demons and turned out victorious. They greatly rejoiced and worshiped Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi Devi and resumed their positions in the heavens as servants of the Lord.
The second time that Lord Dhanvantari appeared on the earth occurred at the beginning of the reign of the current Manu in the second Dwapara Yuga, around two billion years ago. Lord Vishnu had foretold at the time of Samudra Manthan that He would again appear in the form of Dhanvantari in human society and would be worshiped by humans.
He would teach them the science of Ayurveda. Lord Dhanvantari at that time was residing in the heavens. Lord Indra saw the misery of human beings afflicted by various diseases on earth and requested the Lord to teach medical science to the human race to relieve them of their sufferings.
At that time, the King Dirghatamas of Kashi (Varanasi) was engaged in severe penance and austerities, desiring a son. The king desired to appease Lord Dhanvantari for the sake of a son. Thereupon, Dhanvantari appeared to him and urged the king to ask Him for any boon. The king said, “O Lord if You are pleased with me, be my son, bestower of my goal.” The Lord replied, “So be it” and He disappeared.
Lord Dhanvantari then appeared as the son of King Dirghatamas. He was a beautiful boy and from a very early age, He performed severe austerities and possessed great knowledge. Lord Brahma with great difficulty persuaded Him to accept lordship over the city of Kashi and since then He came to be known as Kashi-Raja. As a king, He prepared the Samhitas on Ayurveda in eight divisions for the benefit of humanity.
Lord Dhanvantari’s Ayurvedic teachings are recorded in various places in the Vedic literature – Atharva Veda, Garuda Purana, Vishnu Purana, Sushruta Samhita, and Charaka Samhita. The Srimad Bhagavatam states “smrta-matrarti-nasanah”- “One who remembers the name of Dhanvantari can be released from all disease.”
Dhanvantari Jayanti, also known as Dhanteras, marks the appearance day of Lord Dhanvantari, the divine physician. It falls on the thirteenth lunar day (Trayodashi) of the Krishna Paksha (waning phase of the moon) in the month of Kartik (October–November) just two days before Diwali.
According to scriptures, this is the very day when Lord Dhanvantari emerged from the ocean during Samudra Manthan, carrying the pot of Amrita, symbolizing the eternal nectar of health, vitality, and well-being. Thus, Dhanvantari Jayanti is not merely a festival it is a celebration of life, wellness, and the divine art of healing.
Ayurveda, the sacred gift of Lord Dhanvantari, is far more than a traditional medical system it’s a complete philosophy of healthy living. Its timeless wisdom teaches that health is achieved through balance between the body (Sharira), mind (Manas), and soul (Atma). In an era dominated by stress, pollution, and lifestyle disorders, Ayurveda’s relevance has only grown stronger. Its preventive approach, rooted in personalized care and nature-based remedies, makes it a powerful complement to modern medicine.
Lord Dhanvantari is the God of Medicine and Ayurveda, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, revered for restoring health and teaching the science of holistic healing.
Dhanvantari Jayanti, also called Dhanteras, falls on the 13th lunar day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Kartik, two days before Diwali.
He is worshipped for good health, longevity, and protection from diseases. Devotees believe remembering Him brings healing and vitality.
He is depicted with four hands, holding a pot of Amrita (nectar), medical herbs or leech, conch (Shankha), and discus (Chakra), symbolizing healing, protection, and divine knowledge.
Dhanteras commemorates Dhanvantari’s emergence from the ocean during Samudra Manthan with the nectar of immortality. It symbolizes health, wealth, and spiritual well-being.
He incarnated to teach Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of holistic medicine that balances the body, mind, and spirit for preventive and curative health.
Devotees place His idol or image on a clean altar, light a lamp, offer herbs and fruits, chant the Dhanvantari mantra, and perform acts of charity for healing blessings.
The Supreme Lord is the well-wisher and friend of everyone. Out of His causeless mercy, He comes again and again in this material world to claim the conditioned souls and reciprocates with His loving devotees. Lord Dhanvantari appeared to relieve the suffering mankind of all their diseases.
His Ayurvedic teachings are praised all over the world for they are inclusive of preventive as well as curative systems of health care. Today, when the world is turning away from this ancient and authorized medical science and taking the shelter of the modern system of medicine, Ayurveda remains infallible in the eyes of those who have firm faith in the teachings of Dhanvantari.
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