Dhanvantari
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Dhanvantari (also Dhanwantari, Dhanvanthari) (धन्वंतरी) is an avatar of Vishnu from the Hindu tradition. He appears in the Vedas and Puranas as the physician of the gods (devas), and the controller (god) of Ayurvedic medicine. It is common practice within Hinduism for worshippers to pray to Dhanvantari asking him for improved or good health for themselves and/or others.
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[edit] The earliest practitioner
Dhanvantari was an early Indian medical practitioner and one of the world’s first surgeons. He perfected many herbal based cures and natural remedies and was accredited with the discovery of the antiseptic properties of turmeric and the preservative properties of salt which he incorporated them in his cures.
Being a very skilled surgeon according to the standards of his time, he is widely believed to be the pioneer of modern medical practices like plastic surgery[1]. Albeit his methods were a lot cruder and more painful and were used only in emergencies, such as on the injuries of war victims.
All his surgeries were performed without anaesthetic, however in spite of his crude methods he was reported to have had a very high success rate. As a result of the brilliance and achievements he displayed in the field of medicine he was chosen as one of the Nine Gems in early Indian ruler Vikramaditya’s court.
It is after him that the similarly named legend originated.
[edit] The Legend
Dhanvantari is depicted as Vishnu with four hands, holding medical herbs in one hand and a pot containing rejuvenating nectar called amrita in another. The Puranas state that Dhanavantari emerged from the 'Ocean of Milk' and appeared with the pot of nectar during the story of the Samudra or Sagar manthan whilst the ocean was being churned using the Mandara mountain. After this event another avatar, Mohini, appears and takes the nectar back from the Asuras.
[edit] Birthday celebration
Birth day celebration of Lord Dhanvantari, the God of health, healing and cure, is celebrated with great enthuiasm and happy environment, by the practitioners of the Ayurveda every year, on Dhan Teras, two days before Deepwali, the Hindu festival of Lights. In the Samudra Manthan, Lord Dhanvantari appeared with the keeping Amrit Pot, Shankha, Chakrra and Jalauka each one in his four hands.
In Northern India no permanent temple is established for Lord Dhanvantari. The reason is yet not known, but in Varanasey Sanssakrit Vishvavidyalaya, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh State, one statue of Lord Dhanvantari is present in the Museum of the University. One Big and one small statue is in the head-quarter of the Central council for Research in Aurveda and Siddha at New Delhi. One big statue is inside the premises of Ayurveda Maha Sammelan office, Dhanawantari Bhawan at New Delhi. However in South India, in Kerala and in Tamil Nadu some temples dedicated to Lord Dhanvantari are present.
[edit] The Temples of God Dhanvantari in India
In Tamilnadu, in the courtyard of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Srirangam), is the Dhanvantari Temple where daily worshipping of the deity is performed. In the front of this temple there is an engraved stone believed to date around the 12th Century. The writing on the stone contains the details that Garud Vahan Bhattar, who was a great ayurvedic physician , established the statue inside the temple. As a 'Prasad' or 'Teerth', a decoction of the herbs is given to the visitors.
In Northern India Ayurvedic practitioners worship Lord Dhanavantary.
[edit] Ashta Vaidya of Kerala
In Kerala, the family of "Ashta Vaidya" is famous and traditionally provide Ayurvedic and Siddha treatment to the sick. The forefathers of these Asta vaidyas are still today serving in the same manner as centuries ago. This family worships Lord Dhanvantari. Some family members have built temples inside their houses while others have built proper temples in his honour. Near Kotakkalat Pulamantol village, here is a family of Ashta Vaidya. This family has a temple of Lord Dhanvantari. Vaidya Madam is near Vadakkancheri. Here the Ashta Vaidya Matra dattan have a statue of Dhanvantri, made of a mixture of five metals. In trishura's Perungva, a big temple is here built by Ashta vaidya. The Ashta Vaidya families are in the following places:
- Aalyittur
- Kuttancheri
- Taikkad
- Vayaskara
- Vellod
- Chirattaman
It seems that tradition of Lord Dhanwantri worshipping is regularly persisting in the families to families in Kerala.
[edit] References
- Kalyan Hindi monthly magazine, March 2001 issue, Geeta Press, Gorakhpur, UP
- http://jane-ayurvedaandhealth.blogspot.com/
It is not known to many, but there is a temple dedicated to lord dhanvantari in kerala. It is in a village called Nelluvaya, 20 kilometers from guruvayur and trissur.,located exactly midway between the two towns. The temple is believed to be as old as the temple of guruvayur. most of the ayurvedic doctors from kerala visit this temple before they start practicing medicine
[edit] External links
- Lord Dhanvantari
- Hindu God Dhanwantari: The promulgator of Ayurveda.
- Does Ayurveda begin with Dhanvantari, the ancient physician? By D.P. Agrawal
- Dhanvantari in the Bhagavata Purana
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