The Dhanwantari is famous physician of the Gods in heaven. His incarnation in the world has been in the form of king of Kasi (place in Indian also named as Benaras) namely Kasiraja Divodasa Dhanwantari. In Susruta samhita (the book for surgery in Ayurveda) Divodasa Dhanwantari is the narrator of the Susruta (father of surgery) along with other students. There it is mentioned as that “I am the first God which relieves from aging, diseases and death. I am the one who is guiding about the surgery and realted things”. Again in so many chapters in Susruta samhita it is mentioned that ” As stated by revered Dhanwantari”.
Whereas some of the historian opines that the Dhanwantari is the title accorded as the word means ‘A perfect surgeon’. In some of the context the word “Dhanu” means the surgery and the person who has reached the zenith of the knowledge of surgery is known as Dhanwanatri.
Divodasa is belived to the founder of the Varanasi (Benaras). He was the son of Bheemasena and inherited the knowledge of Ayurveda especially surgery to the posterity. He ran a school, with six of the disciples including Susruta, Aupdhenava, Karaveerya, Paushakalavata, Gaupurakshita and Orabhra.
The worldwide accepted birth theory of Dhanwantri is from Samudamanthana (churning of milk ocean). In that theory Suras (Gods) and Asuras (demons) with the help of Vasuki naaga (serpent wear by the Shiva), Meru parvata (mount meru) and Kurma (turtle form of lord Vishnu) churned the ksheera sagar (ocean of milk; which is the place of lord Vishnu). One side of Vasuki is streched by the demons and other side is streched by the Gods. With the churning effect fourteen types of gems/ treasures are collected, lord Dhanwantari was one among them. He originated with Amrita kalasha (elixir of immortality/ potion) and scriptures of Ayurveda. In many parts of India the birth of Dhanwantari is celebrated as Dhanteras or Dhanwantari trayodashi whereas in whole world it is celebrated as the Ayurveda day.
In Vyakarna Mahabhsya (2nd century BC) mentioned the name of Divodasa, Panini (7th centuary BC) uses the words Kasi and Varanasi. In Charaka samhita (famous Ayurveda compendium) mentions the Dhanwanta view at a few occasions and which was instructed by Atreya Punarvasu (the teacher of Agnivesha who wrote Agnivesha samhita which finally becomes Charaka samhita). So the time period of Atreya is nearby 1000 BC, so Dhanwantari must be around 1000-1500 BC. Whereas the Divodas Dhanwantari is agin incarnation of Dhanwantari again at different time.
