Dhanvantari (धन्वन्तरिः)
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According to Indian mythology, Dhanvantari is the name of the lord of medicine or precisely the lord of Ayurveda. Lord Dhanvantari is believed to be the incarnation of lord Vishnu and is believed to have originated during samudra manthana between devas and asuras. In Ayurveda treatises named Sushruta Samhita, any person who is skilled in the science and art of Surgery has been called as Dhanvantari.
Vyutpatti
धनुः शल्यशास्त्रं, तस्य अन्तं पारम् इयर्ति गच्छतीति धन्वन्तरिः (Dalhanas commentary on Sush. Samh. Sutra 1.3)
Dhanwantari, the God of Ayurveda is regarded as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu in many Hindu Mythologies like Vishnupuran, Bhagabatpuran, Mahabharat, Agnipuran and Haribans - Vayupuran etc. One of these prominent mythological script Harivans Vayupuran reveals that 'Dhanwa', the king of Kasi was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He had no son. He worshipped Lord Vishnu for this purpose and Lord Vishnu took birth as the son of king Dhanwa and was named 'Divodasa'. Divodasa, the king of Kasi surnamed Dhanwantari, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. In Sushruta Samhita, one of the most ancient encyclopedic and authoritative classical books of Indian medicine, i.e. Ayurveda, Dhanwantari is referred to as the teacher of Salyatantra or science of major surgery and he imported this knowledge to Sushruta, the representive of an assembly of Rishis or sages. He said, "It was I who cured the disease of the Gods and prevented their deaths and decripitude. I have now come to this world to teach Salyatantra and other divisions of Ayurveda in detail. In fact God Dhanwantari is the poineer of Ayurvedic science. His birthday is celebrated in the month of Kartika, all over the country. The proficient Ayurvedist of India, earn their livelihood following the advices of Dhanwantari written in Sushruta Samhita. The theory of the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Lord Dhanwantari is not found in Vedas, but many Puranas narrate this topic. According to some Puranas Dhanwantari appeared in this world at the time of "Samudra Manthana". This is the mythological fact about the creation of Lord Dhanwantari. But if we go back to the history there are two Dhanwantaries in different times. (1) Lord Dhanwantari who appeared before gods at the time of "Samudra Manthanam." (2) Kasiraj Divodasa Dhanwantari who was born at Kashi and was an eminent surgery specialist and advisor of Sushruta Samhita. In Harivansa, Vayu Purana and Brahma Baivarta Purana, it has been described that Lord Vishnu sent Dhanwantari, as the son of king Dhanwantari : The Incarnation of Lord Vishnu Dr. Dinabandhu Moharana 79 Orissa Review July - 2008 Dhanwa of Kashi. Dhanwantari was master of healing all diseases. He was taught by Rishi Bharadwaja and first time divided Ayurveda into 8 parts and transferred it to his students. Many Hindu mythologies reveal his appearances that Lord Dhanwantari has four hands. In one hand, there is a nectar pot, in another there is a Ayurvedic book, a medicinal herb in the third hand and in the fourth hand there is a conch shell. Equipped with these things, he appeared in this world to save mankind in their adversity. Many things have been written about him in Hindu mythological books and scriptures. It is known from mythological book that once there arose a great problem to save the world from danger. The God was puzzled seeing this terrible situation. Trinnath Sabha was arranged. Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswar considered the matter and told that great injustice has been done to Gods, who have been deprived of getting nectar at the time of churning of milk sea. If it will be churned again ordure will come out as a result of which the whole world will be annihilated. On the other hand immortal Gods are in the distress being wounded and caught by many diseases. For the settlement of peace, treatment and to save he world from danger, Dhanwantari was sent for. Accompanied by his colleagues he appeared in the "Trinath Sabha". He proposed that "we can get nectar from the trees given by Laxmi, the daughter of sea instead of churning the sea." We can get plenty of it from the trees of mountain Gandhamardan. If order will be given, my descendant will bring these threes. Drinking their nectar many people will be cured from their diseases. Although they will not be immortal, they will be long-lived. This proposal of Dhanwantari was unanimously accepted. At that time Sukracharya knew Sanjivani Mantra of animal as Dhanwantari knew Sanjivani Mantra of plant. But animals depend upon trees for their survival. So trees accepted Dhanwantari as their Guru. The moment, they get order from Dhanwantari, they immediately bear fruits, flowers and confer juice. Then Dhanwantari collected juice from soma trees, palm trees and also from many other trees of Gandhamardan. His descendants conferred it to Gods and demons. Drinking the juice of those trees they were cured from their diseases and became strong and stout. But stupid demons concealed some of it. They drank making it bear at a secret place. No doubt they were cured from their diseases became healthy, but there was no development of their mental power. They became tyrant and quarrelsome so long as they would not discard drinking bear. In Vedic period Aswinis were expert medical practitioners and in Puranic period Dhanwantari became the same as Aswinis. Dhanwantari was master of all branches of Ayurveda. He was an eminent toxicologist. On the other hand he was also well-known physician of Horses (Ashwayurveda) and elephants (Hastyayurveda). Thus Dhanwantari developed 8 branches of Ayurveda at his period, especially the surgery by the time Dhanwantari became the surgery specialist and Dhanwantari group widely known as surgery specialist i.e. "Salya Sampradaya". However it is undoubtedly accepted that Dhanwantari was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. We expect that till the end of this civilisation Dhanwantari and his descendants will be remembered.
78 Orissa Review July - 2008
Dr. Dinabandhu Moharana, Orissa Ayurveda Sebasadan, Room No.III, Municipality Market, OMP Square, Cuttack-3.
All dhanvantaris mentioned in Ayurveda treatises