Dhanteras is a festival of balancing wealth and health.
Dhanteras is one such great festival in which along with material prosperity, health is also given importance. Worshiping Dhanvantari on this day along with Lakshmi and Kuber teaches us the way of life. It should be noted that enjoyment of wealth and splendor is not possible without good health, hence the concept of Dhanvantari which emerged over time for enjoyment of opulence, appears to be very scientific. There is a tradition of buying silver on this day. Silver means Moon, which is the lord of both money and mind. The moon is a symbol of coolness and also satisfaction. In fact, the experience of satisfaction is the greatest wealth. The one who is satisfied is both rich and happy. To enjoy wealth, along with the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi, good health and longevity is also required. This concept is the foundation of the existence of Dhanvantari. Lord Dhanvantari has the position of Dev Vaidya in Hindu religion. It is said that Kamadhenu appeared on Kartik Krishna Dwadashi, Dhanvantari on Trayodashi, Mahakali on Chaturdashi and Mahalakshmi appeared on Amavasya. At the time of appearance, four-armed Dhanvantari has nectar pot, medicine, conch and chakra in his four hands. As soon as he appeared, he introduced Ayurveda. First of all, Brahma composed Ayurveda consisting of one thousand chapters and one lakh verses, which was learned by the Ashwini Kumars and passed on to Indra. Indra taught this skill to Dhanvantari. Before Dhanvantari, Ayurveda was secret and extinct. Vishwamitra’s son Sushruta accepted this knowledge from him. Sushruta was the world’s first surgeon. When Shri Divodas, a descendant of Dhanvantari, established the world’s first school of surgery in Kashi, he appointed Sushruta as its principal. From Divodas to his descendants Ram Shastri and Sameer Shastri, the strong and rich medical history of Ayurveda is a symbol of India’s pride. Even today, Dhanvantari Nivas in Kashi seems to be preserving the legacy of Dhanvantari. Where amazing research work is done on the treatment of incurable diseases without any fanfare. According to the Puranas, when Dhanvantari, after emerging from the churning of the ocean, asked Vishnu for his post and department, Vishnu said that in the second Dwapar, you will live in a royal family on earth. You will be born and you will be famous and worshiped in all three worlds. You will be considered godlike. You will do the eightfold division of Ayurveda. Due to this boon, in the Second Dwapara Yuga, Lord Dhanvantari was reborn as the child of Dhanva, the son of King Kash, the founder of present Kashi (the founder of the original Kashi is called Lord Shiva). And after adopting Ayurveda again from Bhardwaj, he divided it into eight parts. Dhanvantari knew the method of treatment of all diseases. It is said that after Shiva accepted Halahal, Dhanvantari provided him the nectar and then some drops of it also spilled in the city of Kashi. In this way Kashi became a timeless city that would never be destroyed.
