Dhanteras.
Dhanteras, or Dhantrayodashi, is the first day of the five-day Diwali festival. On this auspicious day of Trayodashi, Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Kubera are worshipped. It is believed that on this day, Goddess Lakshmi comes to the house of the devotees and fulfills their wishes.
People light lamps to show reverence to Goddess Lakshmi and Dhanvantari and keep the lamps lit for the whole night. Along with Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Dhanvantari, Trayodashi and Lord Kubera are also worshipped.
Hindus consider Dhanteras to be very auspicious, as they believe that buying gold, silver, new utensils, appliances, and automobiles brings good luck, prosperity, and health.
Dhan Teras, originally referred to as 'Dhanvantari Trayodashi', the word "Dhanteras" is derived from two Sanskrit words, 'Dhan' denoting wealth, and 'Teras' denoting the thirteenth.
Dhanteras is one of the important Hindu festivals, also alternatively known as Dhantrayodashi. Besides this, the day is also known as Dhanvantari Trayodashi or Dhanvantari Jayanti, as the day is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the god of Ayurveda.
According to the Hindu calendar, every year, Dhanteras falls on the 13th lunar day of the Krishna Paksha (dark lunar fortnight) of Kartik (October–November). Hence, this year in 2024, Dhanteras will be celebrated on Tuesday, 29 October.
It is believed that on this day, Goddess Lakshmi emerged from the ocean during the Samudra Manthan (churning of the milky ocean). Hence, Goddess Lakshmi is revered and worshipped on this day, and it is said that Lakshmi Puja should be performed during the Pradosh Kaal, when the Sthira Lagna (not moveable) prevails, which starts after sunset.
However, Lakshmi Puja on Amavasya, which falls two days after Dhantrayodashi, is more significant. Apart from this, due to its observance on the 13th day of Kartik month, this day is also called 'Udayvyapini Trayodashi'.
This is the day when the thirteenth date of the Hindu calendar begins at sunrise, only when Dhanteras is celebrated. Meanwhile, if Trayodashi falls on the next day after sunrise, Dhanteras can still be observed.
Since Dhanteras is celebrated before the festival of Diwali, it creates excitement and brings a joyous atmosphere among everyone for Diwali beforehand. Also, a general wave of delight and joy arises as the divine light pervades everyone's life.
Apart from this, Dhanteras fosters spiritual abundance and human bonding among people. On this day, people buy gold or silver jewelry, coins,s and other items as it is considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity which brings luck and success.
The day is also considered auspicious for commencing new ventures and investments, such as in stocks, real estate,e or other business ventures. As per belief, worshipping Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Kuber, and Ganesha on Dhanteras gets rid of the evil eye and ushers in positivity and prosperity.
There are many stories associated with Dhanteras; some relate it to Lord Dhanvantari, some to Goddess Lakshmi, and others to Lord Yama. There are 3 major folktales, out of which two are related to Samudra Manthan, the churning of the ocean, and the remaining one is connected to Lord Yama.
According to Hindu mythology, Dhanvantari is the god of medicine Ayurveda, who used Ayurveda for the betterment of mankind and the eradication of diseases.
On Dhanteras, Lord Dhanvantari, the god of Ayurveda, is worshipped to treat acute and chronic ailments through Ayurveda. It is also believed that Lord Dhanvantari was born from the churning of the ocean with a pot of Amrit (nectar) in one hand and a book of Ayurveda in the other.
According to Hindu mythological texts, the second story revolves around Goddess Lakshmi, who emerged during the Samudra Manthan. Another folklore narrates the story of a prince, the son of King Hima.
The prince was prophesied to perish from a snakebite on the fourth day of his marriage. But his wife piled gold, silver, and metals at the entrance of their house and lit many lamps while also spending the whole night telling stories and singing songs to her husband.
When Lord Yama, the god of death, came as a snake, he could not see anything due to the brightness of metals and lamps. He stayed and went quietly the next morning, which is why Dhanteras is also called Yandeepdaan, which means offering earthen lamps to Lord Yama.
On this propitious day, people rise early in the morning to partake in a holy bath, observe a fas,t, and worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha at their homes and temples. On Dhanteras, houses, offices, temples, and shops are meticulously cleaned and adorned with flowers, lights, diyas, and rangolis.
On the evening of Dhanteras, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped after sunset, where people recite the “Dhanteras Ki Katha”, chanting the mantra of “Om Hrim Shrim Lakshmibhayo Namah” and light diyas, which are placed outside every door of the house.
The Tulsi plant is also worshipped in the evening, along with the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. A vermilion and rice flour paste is made from which Goddess Lakshmi's footprints are made all over the house.
A special prasad called Naivedya, made of jaggery and dried coriander seeds, and Panchamrit, made of five elements; Milk, sugar, honey, curd, and ghee are also offered to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu.
On this day, the ritual of Shodashopchara is performed, consisting of 16 different procedures of worship, which include, Naivaidya, Aachman (pure water), scents (saffron and sandalwood), etc., along with aarti and parikrama. Along with this, whole wheat halwa (Aaate ka halwa) is also made in many parts of North India.
Dhanteras is celebrated on a grand scale of festivities in India. In northern and western India, devotees stand outside the temple for hours to pray to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Kubera for wealth and prosperity.
In Maharashtra, Naivedya is offered to the deities as Prasad, and consecrated cows are also considered a popular tradition on this day, along with a ceremonial bath and adornment.
It is said that, on this day, Lord Dhanvantari, the God of Ayurveda, was born, who gave the knowledge of Ayurveda to humans to help cure diseases. Consequently, the Ministry of AYUSH celebrates Dhanteras as "National Ayurveda Day" every year in India.
This is all about Dhanteras. We wish you a Shubh Dhanteras. May you have a blessed Dhanteras with your family and friends. If you have any queries or thoughts, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We appreciate our reader's valuable comments.
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