10/29/2024
The First Day Of Divali ‐ Dhanteras
Divali spans for a period of 5 days.
The first day of divali is known as Dhanteras (Sanskrit: धनतेरस), which is also called Dhanvantari Trayodashi and and it is the first day that marks the festival of Divali.
Dhanteras is a Hindu festival that is celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of Karthik.
On the day of Dhantrayodashi, the devas and asuras performed the Samudra manthan (churning of the ocean) for the divine nectar of immortality. Goddess Lakshmi emerged from the churning of the milky ocean. Hence, Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped on the day of Trayodashi.
Dhanvantari emerged carrying a jar of the elixir on the day of Dhanteras.
Dhanvantari, the physician of the Gods and an incarnation of Vishnu is also worshipped on the occasion of Dhanteras and is considered the God of Ayurveda. Dhanvantari imparted the wisdom of Ayurveda to cure many diseases, sicknesses and ailments in order to have betterment for mankind.
Tradition of husbands gifting jewellery to their wife on Dhanteras:-
Once upon a time, the son of King Hima was destined to die from being bitten by a snake on the fourth day of his marriage. On that particular day, his newly-wed wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid out all her ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a heap at the entrance of the sleeping chamber and lit lamps all over the place. She proceeded to sing songs and glorify the supreme divinity. The next day, when Yama, the god of Death arrived at the prince's doorstep in the form of a serpent, his eyes were dazzled and blinded by the brilliance of the lamps and the jewellery.
Yama could not enter the Prince's chamber, so he climbed on top of the heap of gold coins and sat there the entire night listening to the songs. In the morning, Yama being please with the wife’s devotion towards her husband, silently went away. Thus, the young prince was saved from the clutches of death by his new bride, and the day came to be celebrated as Dhanteras. The prince showered his wife with many gifts of jewellery which lead to the tradition of husbands purchasing jewellery on Dhanteras for their wives.
