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Standing on a pedestal in the cool, dark shade of the world’s only temple dedicated
in his honour is Dhanwantari, the adhishtana devta or presiding deity of Ayurveda
– the ancient Indian science of life. Appropriately, this temple is located on the
premises of the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy campus, home also to The Arya Vaidya Chikitsalayam
and Research Institute, in Coimbatore.
Nectar from the Ocean of Milk
In mythical times, a legend goes that the Devas (gods of the Hindu pantheon), grew
too proud of their powers and slighted Durvasa Muni, a saintly person who had come
to visit them in their abode. This was no ordinary saint. The insult to his stature
by Indra - the Lord of the Devas - was not tolerated by Durvasa Muni and he cursed
them all saying they would soon lose their strength, energy and boon of immortality.
Sure enough, the Devas soon noticed that they had begun to age and grow weak rather
rapidly. Noticing this phenomenon, their adversaries began challenging their supremacy
and threatened to overthrow and usurp their position in the high heavens. Fearful
and trembling, a team of Devas was deputed to approach Brihaspathy, the Guru or
teacher of the Devas, for a solution to the impending crisis. After rebuking the
Devas for insulting a holy man, the Guru declared that they would have to churn
the mighty Ocean of Milk and obtain a bowl of celestial elixir or nectar that would
rise forth from the churning. By drinking this elixir, the Devas would not only
reverse the ageing process but would also regain their immortality
Now, churning the vast Ocean of Milk was not an easy task. Even with all their combined
might, the Devas would never be able to accomplish it. One of the cleverer Devas
suggested that the help of the Asuras or demons, known for their superhuman strength,
could be enlisted to churn the ocean. This suggestion was welcomed by all and then
the proposal was put forward to the Asuras. The reward dangled tantalizingly by
the Devas was – half the contents of the bowl of Amrit or nectar. The Asuras readily
agreed.
The question now was where to find a gigantic churning rod to churn the mighty ocean?
The towering Mount Mandara was selected for this purpose. At the request of the
Devas, Vasuki, the mighty, thousand-headed serpent, agreed to be used as the strong
rope with which the Devas and Asuras could churn the ocean. Placing Mandara in the
ocean bed and coiling Vasuki around its towering height, the churning got underway.
The Devas placed themselves at the head of Vasuki while the Asuras positioned themselves
along its tail. Prominent among the legion were Ravana, King of Lanka on the side
of the Asuras, and Hanuman, Lord of the Monkeys on the side of the Devas.
This epic churning went on for one thousand years, during which it almost had to
be abandoned when the ocean-bed threatened to cave in with the constant drilling
by Mount Mandara. It was at this juncture that Lord Vishnu took the avatar or form
of Kurma, the gigantic tortoise, whose back now provided the base support for Mandara.
The churning of the Ocean of Milk now resumed with a renewed vigour.
Soon, the foaming ocean began to churn out its special gifts. Early among them were
Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, together with Chandra, the moon god. Then the ocean
spewed Kalakoota, the venomous blue poison whose fumes threatened to destroy Devas
and Asuras alike. This time, they appealed to Lord Shiva to save them. Sensing the
urgency of the situation, Shiva immediately consumed the blue poison, and retained
it in his throat which turned blue and was, thereafter, always depicted as blue
in color. On account of this, Shiva was now also referred to as Neelkantha.
Overcoming this hurdle, the churning continued apace till at the end of the thousand
years, apsaras or celestial maidens arose from the ocean floating upwards to heaven.
They heralded the emergence of Dhanwantari – the divine physician who arose from
the Ocean of Milk bearing the bowl containing Amrita or the elixir of life in one
hand, the Srichakra or divine wheel in another, a Jaluka or leech which sucks out
impure blood in his third hand, and a Shankha or conch in his fourth hand.
The joy of both the Devas and Asuras knew no bounds as they celebrated their triumph.
But now ensued a tussle between them over sharing the divine nectar that would endow
them immortality. The demons being stronger grabbed the bowl containing the nectar
and rushed off to their camp with it. The horrified Devas beseeched Lord Vishnu
to quickly intervene and prevent the Asuras or demons from gaining immortality.
Vishnu, seeing the wisdom behind their appeal, took on the form of the voluptuous
enchantress Mohini, and went into the camp of the demons where with seductive wiles,
He, in the guise of Mohini, charmed and mesmerized the Asuras into handing over
the vessel containing the nectar. Asking them to sit in orderly rows with their
eyes shut, Mohini cooed that she would now pour a drop of the precious nectar into
the mouth of each Asura. As soon as their eyes were shut, Mohini ran off with the
bowl of nectar and gave it to the Devas who lost no time in drinking it down to
the last drop.
Thus was the universe protected from the calamity that would have occurred if the
demons had also gained immortality by drinking Amrita.
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