Dr H N Patwari
Sushrat Samhita presents the field of Ayurvedic surgery and is an important source of Ayurvedic aphorisms. In very first chapter of said treatise of surgery, there is a celebrated reference about Dhanwantri-which states, ”Dhanwantri, the pioneer God of Medicine, destroyer of senility, disease and death descended on earth to teach mainly Surgery along with other allied branches of Medicine.”
Kartik Krishenpakh Tryodashi, is generally known as Dhan Teras, but Ayurvedic professionals throughout world celebrate said day as Dhanwantri Jayanti- the day when it is believed that Dhanwantri appeared during the churning of the milk ocean by demons and demi Gods, holding pot of nectar in one hand and Ayurveda in the other. One of the earliest and outstanding holder of Indian culture pertaining to the field of Medicine and Surgery was Dhanwantri. There are many mythological references about his supposed incarnation, yet his personality and identity, are shrouded in the mist of antiquity. History of Ayurveda testifies that Dhanwantri was teacher of Sushrata and his other colleagues were Aupadhenava, Aurabhra, Baitrana, Paushkalavata, Karivarya and Gopuraksita. Among all disciples, Sushrata was the most competent and celebrated one, who later complied Sushrata Samhita, classical compendium of Ayurvedic Surgery.
Commonly worshipped as the God of Medicine, Dhanwantari is regarded as the origin exponent of Indian medicine. Dhanwantri has many myths and legends woven around him. He emerged with the pot of ambrosia (sympoblic of medicine) in his hand from the ocean when it was churned by the contesting Gods and Demons. He is viewed as the very incarnation of God Vishnu. He is said to have recovered ambrosia which had been lost, and thus obtained a share in sacrifice.
Legends make him reappear as “Divodasa” the prince of Benaras (Kasiraja), in the family of Ayus. Dhanvantari, Divodasa and Kasiraja are names of the same person who is ‘‘the first God and who freed the other gods from old age, disease and death” and who in his Himalayan retreat taught surgery to susrutha and other sages Dhanwantari appeared on earth in Banaras in the princely family of Bahuja and became known as Divodasa; he wandered about as a mendicant even during his early years.
Dhanwantari also appeared to have been an actual historical person, although his precise identity is hard to be ascertained. He taught surgery and other divisions of Ayurveda (Indian system of medicine) at the instance of Sushruta, to a group of sages among whom Sushruta was the foremost.
Dhanwantari is regarded as the patron-god of all branches of medicine. While Dhanwantari is not credited with any medical treatise of his own, in the early accounts, there is a voluminous glossary and material medical in nine sections known as Dhanwantari-Nighantu; it is a compilation which is probably contemporaneous with the famous Amara-kosha (AD 100). There are a few other works which are also ascribed to Dhanvantari.
There are numerous preparations which are ascribed to him, and many of them quite ancient.
Dhanwantari-Nighantu is considered the most ancient of the medical glossaries that are available. The original work is said to have been in three recessions, the present version which may have been based on one of them, is in six sections and deals with 373 medicinal substances, their names, synonyms, and brief description of properties being given. The work which claims to be ‘like the third eye’ for the practicing physician, is extensively relief upon, despite several more comprehensive glossaries that have been compiled subsequently. Since there are no authentic source of information, this text can be considered more as indicative.
There are some texts and scholars who believe that Dhanwantari was one of the nine gems (scholars) of Gupta emperor Vikramaditya. During the period of Vikramaditya a practitioners, who could prescribe one hundred medicines was Vaidya; a person who knew two hundred medicines was called a Bhishak or Bhisaguru and one who knew three hundred medicines was called Dhanwantri.
Due to extraordinary contribution of Dhanwantri and his disciple Sushrata in the field of primitive Surgery, both are mentioned with great reverence in the history of modern Medicine. The honor of being the first plastic Surgeon in the history of manking rightly goes to Dhanwantri. The symbolic mythological references about Dhanwantri in Hindu scriptures can be subject matter of debate but by dint of his extraordinary caliber and skill, Dhanwantri is referred as father of Surgery and symbol of then surgical specialization. In fact, modern surgery is greatly indebted to the very fundamental contribution made by Dhanwantri and his disciple Sushrata. He has set a high standard in Medicine and Surgery, evidence of which is evident in their monographs.
Description of 101 varieties of Surgical instruments named after birds and animals because of their shape, twelve group of the basic varieties of fractures, reconstructive surgery of cut nose and ears, couching of cataracts, classification of accidental injuries and last but not least four principles for the control of hemorrhage, are some of the classical examples of professional expertise and excellence. Dhanwantri is credited with a large number of books on Ayurveda of which Dhanwantari Nighantu is most famous it is one of the oldest medical glossaries in the world.
(The author is former Deputy Director Ayurveda and senior Ayurvedic consultant)
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