Dhanteras 2191: Melbourne, Victoria

From the Bhagavata Purana and the Vishnu Purana

Dhanteras is also called Dhanvantari Trayodashi, because families remember Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods, on this day. His story is part of the great churning of the ocean of milk.

The Vishnu Purana tells how the gods lost their strength. The sage Durvasa gave Indra a fragrant garland. Indra hung it on the brow of his elephant Airavata, and the elephant took it with his trunk and dropped it on the ground. Durvasa saw this as an insult and cursed Indra that his rule over the three worlds would fall. From then on the worlds lost their vigour. Plants withered and sacrifices stopped. The demons attacked and defeated the gods.

The gods went to Brahma, and Brahma led them to Lord Vishnu. Vishnu told them to throw healing herbs into the ocean of milk and to churn it, with Mount Mandara as the churning stick and the serpent Vasuki as the rope. He told them to make peace with the demons and share the labour with them. Vishnu himself took the form of a tortoise and held up the mountain on his back.

Many wonders rose from the churning ocean. Then came a young man, strong and dark, with long arms and reddish eyes. He wore yellow garments, a garland and pearl earrings, and was richly adorned. In his hand he carried a jar filled to the brim with amrita, the nectar of immortality. This was Dhanvantari. The Bhagavata Purana says he was a portion of Lord Vishnu himself, a master of the science of medicine, and that as a god he was given a share in the offerings of sacrifice. The Vishnu Purana pictures him robed in white, holding the cup of nectar.

The demons saw the nectar and snatched the jar away by force. Then Vishnu took the form of a beautiful woman, won the jar back from them, and gave the nectar to the gods. Strengthened, the gods defeated the demons, and the three worlds became prosperous once more.

So Dhanvantari is remembered as the giver of health, the one who came out of the ocean holding the medicine of the gods.

Another story

This is the katha traditionally told by families who keep Dhanteras; no Purana source was found for it. It is told to explain the lamps lit for Yama on this evening.

King Hima had a son of sixteen. His horoscope said that he would die of a snakebite on the fourth day after his marriage. The prince was married, and on that fourth night his young wife would not let him sleep. At the door of their room she heaped up her ornaments and many gold and silver coins, and she lit lamps all around the entrance and the rooms. Then she sat with him and told him stories and sang songs through the night to keep him awake.

Yama, the lord of death, came to the door in the form of a serpent. The bright lamps and the shining gold dazzled him, and he could not go in. He stayed there listening to her stories and songs, and when the night was over he went away. The prince lived.

This is why, the families say, lamps are lit for Yama on this day, and why the day is linked with gold and silver.