Shri Lord Dhanvantri is considered to be a divinity and the patron lord of all medical sciences. Shri Lord Dhanvantari has many myths and legends woven around him. He emerged with the pot of ambrosia (symbolic of medicine) in his hand from the ocean when it was churned by the contesting gods and demons. He is viewed by Hindus as the very incarnation of God Vishnu.
Dhanvantari Mantra glorifies the healing power of Sri Lord Dhanvantari and describes his physical appearance. This mantra has been taught in Ayurvedic colleges throughout India for several millennia.
Ayurveda, the Ancient Science of Life, Health and Longevity
"A physician who fails to enter the body of a patient with the lamp of knowledge and understanding can never treat diseases. He should first study all the factors that influence a patient's disease, including the environment, and then prescribe treatment. It is more important to prevent the occurrence of disease than to seek a cure."
-- from the Charaka Samhita
In Sanskrit, Ayurveda (Ayur-Veda) means the "Science of Life," in the sense that life is the integration of body, mind and consciousness. Ayurveda places great emphasis on prevention and encourages the maintenance of health through diet and lifestyle, proper cooking methods, yoga and meditation practices, proper exercise, herbal nutrition with Ayurvedic herbs, as well as cleansing and rejuvenating Ayurvedic therapies (including abhyanga, shirodhara, nadi swedana, etc.) and Panchakarma, Ayurveda's unique deep detox and rejuvenation program
Legend
The origins of this system of course are lost in time. In legend it is said to have been taught by the creator, Brahma, to the Prajapati Daksha. (One of the lords of the animals) who taught it in turn to the divine twins called the Ashwinikumars.
Ashwinikumars are the heavenly healers. They taught Indra, the chief of the shining ones. The personages mentioned were deities of early Vedic times. When mankind started suffering from various diseases the wise men like Bharadvaja learnt from Indra the knowledge of medicine. Gradually the huge amount of knowledge accumulated was divided systematically into different branches.
What is unique about Ayurveda ?
There are several aspects to Ayurveda that are quite unique:
1
Ayurveda offers reference points for managing treatment decisions specific to each case. Ayurvedic theory is profoundly useful in analysing individual patient constitution and understanding variations in disease manifestation.
2
The Ayurvedic framework can be used to structure working models of the unique state of each patient, and to project a vision or goal for a whole state of health, again unique to each case.
3
Ayurveda offers specific recommendations to each individual on lifestyle, diet, exercise and yoga, herbal therapy, and even spiritual practices to restore and maintain balance in body and mind. Ayurveda sees a strong connection between the mind and the body, a huge amount of information is available regarding this relationship.
This understanding that we are all unique individuals enables Ayurveda to address not only specific health concerns but also offers explanation as to why one person responds differently than another
