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| Home » Legends Behind Dhanteras |
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Generally, the origin of a festival depends upon a particular incident that created ripples in the history of a civilization. Dhanteras too has a set of legendary stories associated with it. The customs and rituals are based on the same stories. They contain offering prayers not only to Goddess Lakshmi but to the Lord of Death, Yama as well. This custom again finds answers in these myths. Following are the two major mythical tales that have been related to the festival of Dhan Tryodashi since time immemorial.
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Story of Lord Yama
The story actually revolves around the son of King Hima and his wife. King Hima's son was a sixteen years old boy and was destined to die due to snakebite on the thirteenth night of Karthika. Instead of panicking on the death of her newly wed husband, she tackled the situation in a clam and composed manner. She prepared a strategy. She collected a heap of gold, silver and diamonds in their shiniest form possible and put them at the entrance of their bed chamber. Thousands of tiny diyas (oil lamps) were also lit and thus, there was glitter and sparkle all over around the chamber. When Yama arrived in the form of a snake he got blinded because of the excessive light reflected by the gold and silver. He waited there for the whole night, but the girl kept telling stories and singing so that her husband wouldn't fall asleep. As the time of his death surpassed with the breaking of the dawn, Yamaraja had to leave. Thus, the girl's intelligence saved her husband's life.
Since then the ritual of 'Yamadeepan' (lighting oil lamp) is performed on the occasion of Dhanteras so as to commemorate Lord Yama and beget his blessings.
Appearance of Lord Dhanvantri
This legendary story coincides with the story of the emergence of Goddess Lakshmi. As Lord Indra along with the army of demons had to perform Samudra Manthan (churning of sea) in order to get his wife Goddess Lakshmi back. During the process was produced a nectar. This was the result of using the great mountain Mandara as the churning rod and Vasuki, the gigantic serpent as the rope. Even after the Goddess Lakshmi emerged out of the milky sea, all continued churning and finally a young man with divine aura, red eyes, strong built and adorned with garland appeared before them. He brought along with the same flask of nectar that was consumed by all Gods and they became immortal.
Enlighten your and your child's Indian mythological knowledge as you celebrate the occasion of Dhanteras.
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