Lord Dhanvantari

As per Hindu mythology, He first appeared during the great churning of the ‘Ksheera Saagara’ (the cosmic ocean of milk) to deliver Amritha — the divine nectar of immortality — for the nourishment and rejuvenation of the Demigods. The churning of the ocean of milk is a famous episode in the Puranas, representing the spiritual endeavour of a person to achieve self-realisation through concentration of mind, withdrawal of the senses, control of desires, austerity and asceticism; it is still celebrated in a major way every twelve years in the festival known as ‘Kumbha Mela’. The story is related in the ‘Srimad Bhagavatam’, a major work that describes the avataras in great detail, along with the Kalpavriksha (the wish-fulfilling tree) and Shri Lakshmi (the Goddess of Wealth), who also emerged from the churning.

As the churning continued, a wonderful male figure appeared. The Bhagavatam describes Him as strongly built, with long, stout and strong arms, reddish eyes and a dark complexion. He was very young, garlanded with flowers, and His entire body was decorated with ornaments. Lord Dhanwanthari was dressed in yellow garments and wore brightly polished pearl earrings; the tips of His hair were anointed with oil, and His chest was broad. His body carried every good feature, and He was as stout and strong as a lion. In His four hands, He carried an ‘Amrutha kumbha’ (jug of holy nectar), a ‘Sankhu’ (holy conch shell), a ‘Sudarasana Chakra’ (the divine disc of energy) and a ‘Jalooka’ (leech used for treatments). The story ends with the Demigods taking the nectar, drinking it, and being invigorated with eternal energy.