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The Dhanwantari Idol - Myth and Reality
According to the descriptions culled from several religious texts, Lord Dhanwantari
is pictured as having four hands. The upper right hand holds the Chakra while the
upper left hand grasps a Conch. The lower right hand hold the Leech while the lower
left hand holds the fabled bowl containing Amrit or the divine nectar.
Yet, the idol of Dhanwantari placed in this temple shows the Lord holding the bowl
of Amrit in his lower right hand! And, thereby hangs an interesting tale.
The story goes that the founder of the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Sri P.V. Rama Variar,
while praying to Lord Dhanwantari, had a dream in which the Lord appeared to him
thus. And it was the image he saw in his dream that got sculpted as the idol of
Dhanwantari. Yet another twist in the tale is that this was the second idol to be
sculpted. An earlier idol, although it was moulded to the right proportions, had
no Dharaanaalam to fit into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The question now
arose as to which idol was to be consecrated and placed inside the temple?
On the advice of a renowned astrologer who was consulted on this issue, it was decided
that the vision in which Lord Dhanwantari appeared to Sri Variar was the one which
the Lord himself would wish to be consecrated. The moral of the tale being that
it is the piety and purity of the devotee’s mind that matters, and the gods may
appear in the form imagined by their devout worshippers.
The earlier idol stands as the centerpiece of a fountain and rock-garden that is
at the entrance to the main block of the Chikitsalayam.
The God of Ayurveda is installed in the Temple of Healing
The Temple of Dhanwantari stands in the campus of the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy in the
heart of Coimbatore city, with the proud distinction of being the only temple dedicated
in his honour in the whole world. The Shadaadhara Pratishtha, which means the ceremonial
fitting of six adharas or supports in the sanctum sanctorum, was performed to the
recital of mantras conducted by the Tantri, the chief priest of the temple, in 1975.
Two years later, on April 25, 1977, the idol was consecrated and installed and the
temple was formally inaugurated.
Architecturally conceived and built according to the traditional science of Vaastu,
the temple enshrines Lord Dhanwantari, God of Ayurveda, as the main deity. The other
gods and goddesses who are worshipped as sub-deities and contribute to the power
loci of the temple precincts include: Durga / Bhagawati, Sri Ayyapam, Hanuman, Brahmarakshas,
Nagaraja, Ganapathy, Uma Maheshwaran and the Navagrahas. Each of the sub-deities
contribute their sanctity to the temple, and collectively can be considered as a
luminous constellation surrounding the glory of the main deity, Lord Dhanwantari.
Although the temple was built to provide spiritual solace to those coming for treatment
at the Chikitasalayam, its fame as a healing center has spread far and wide, attracting
devotees from all over the world.
The constant reciting of mantras and herbal offerings have helped in creating a
vibratory, energetic field that is most conducive to healing along with the treatments
offered for different ailments. Requests come from foreign lands for particular
homams to be performed on the behalf of patients from their family, relatives and
friends across the world.
Invoking Lord Dhanwantari in prayer and worship
Dhanwantari is the Adhishtana Devata or presiding deity of Ayurveda, the ancient
Science of Life. He is also considered to be an avatar or incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
In some places, he is also worshipped in the female form of Vishnu as ‘Mohini’,
the maiden who restored the power of immortality to the Devas.
He can be invoked by the devotee by reciting the following prayer:
Om Namo Bhabavathe Vasudevaaya Dhanwantharaaye
Amrithakalsa Hasthaaya
Sarvamaya Vinaasanaaya
Thrylokanaathaaya Sree Mahavishnavve Nama
(Om, Salutations To You Lord Vasudeva, Dhanwantri Who Has The Pot of Nectar in His
Hand, Who is The Destroyer of all Illnesses, Who is the Lord Of Three Worlds! Salutations
to Sri Mahavishnu.)
Special Poojas performed to Dhanwantari
Sahasranama Pushpanjali: A pooja where
flowers are offered reciting the Vishnu Sahasranama, the verse that contains the
1000 names of Lord Vishnu.
Samvada Sukham: A special pooja to
get the Lord’s blessings for happiness and unity in the family.
Purusha Sukham: A pooja to overcome
all illnesses and sufferings and for the restoration and grant of good health.
Saraswatha: A pooja for attaining
academic knowledge, brilliance, and right thinking.
Vivaha Sukham: A pooja performed for
getting the right life-partner at the right time in life.
Palabhishekam: Bathing of the idol with milk.
Dhanwantari Homam: A grand pooja where 108 rare, medicinal
herbs are offered to the sacred fire. It is performed to restore health and prosperity.
How to get there
Coimbatore is well connected by Rail, Road and Air. The Chikitsalayam is just 3
km away from the Railway Station, on the Coimbatore-Trichy Road. The out-station
Bus Terminal is about 5 km and the Airport around 10 km from the Chikitsalayam.
Sree Dhanwantari Mandir
The Arya Vaidya Chikitsalayam & Research Institute
136-137, Ramanathapuram, Trichy Road
Coimbatore 641 045, Tamil Nadu
Tel: 91 422 2313188, 2313194, 2313623
Fax: 91 422 2314953
Email: ayurveda@vsnl.com
Website: www.avpayurveda.com
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