Dhantrayodashi, which is also known as Dhanteras, is the first day of five days long Diwali festivities. On the day of Dhantrayodashi, Goddess Lakshmi came out of the ocean during the churning of the Milky Sea. Hence, Goddess Lakshmi, along with Lord Kubera who is the God of wealth, is worshipped on the auspicious day of Trayodashi. However, Lakshmi Puja on Amavasya after two days of Dhantrayodashi is considered more significant. Lakshmi Puja on Dhanteras or Dhantrayodashi should be done during Pradosh Kaal which starts after sunset and approximately lasts for 2 hours and 24 minutes.
We don’t advise to choose Choghadiya Muhurat to perform Dhanteras Puja as those Muhurtas are good only for travelling. The best time for Lakshmi Puja on Dhanteras is during Pradosh Kaal when Sthir Lagna prevails. Sthir means fixed i.e. not moveable. If Dhanteras Puja is done during Sthir Lagna, Lakshmiji will stay in your home; hence this time is the best for Dhanteras Pujan. Vrishabha Lagna is considered as Sthir and mostly overlaps with Pradosh Kaal during Diwali festivity.
The day of Dhanteras is also observed as Dhanwantari Triodasi or Dhanvantri Jayanti, the birth anniversary of the God of Ayurveda. Yamadeep is another ritual on the same Trayodashi Tithi when the lamp for the God of death is lit outside home to ward off any untimely death of any family members.
Celebrations
On Dhanteras, Lakshmi – the Goddess of wealth – is worshiped to provide prosperity and well being. It is also the day for celebrating wealth, as the word ‘Dhan’ literally means wealth and ‘Tera’ comes from the date 13th.
In the evening, the lamp is lit and Dhan-Lakshmi is welcomed into the house. Alpana or Rangoli designs are drawn on pathways including the goddess’ footprints to mark the arrival of Lakshmi. Aartis or devotional hymns are sung eulogizing Goddess Lakshmi and sweets and fruits are offered to her. Hindus also worship Lord Kuber as the treasurer of wealth and bestower of riches, along with Goddess Lakshmi on Dhanteras. This custom of worshiping Lakshmi and Kuber together is in prospect of doubling the benefits of such prayers. People flock to the jewelers and buy gold or silver jewelry or utensils to venerate the occasion of Dhanteras. Many wear new clothes and wear jewelry as they light the first lamp of Diwali while some engage in a game of gambling.
Legend
An ancient legend ascribes the occasion to an interesting story about the 16 year old son of King Hima. His horoscope predicted his death by snake-bite on the fourth day of his marriage. On that particular day, his newly-wed wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid out all her ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a heap at the entrance of the sleeping chamber and lit lamps all over the place. Then she narrated stories and sang songs to keep her husband from falling asleep. The next day, when Yama, the god of Death, arrived at the prince’s doorstep in the guise of a Serpent, his eyes were dazzled and blinded by the brilliance of the lamps and the jewelry. Yam could not enter the Prince’s chamber, so he climbed on top of the heap of gold coins and sat there the entire night listening to the stories and songs. In the morning, he silently went away. Thus, the young prince was saved from the clutches of death by the cleverness of his new bride, and the day came to be celebrated as Dhanteras. And the following days came to be called Naraka Chaturdashi (‘Naraka’ means hell and Chaturdashi means 14th). It is also know as ‘Yamadeepdaan’ as the ladies of the house light earthen lamps or ‘deep’ and these are kept burning throughout the night glorifying Yama, the god of Death. Since this is the night before Diwali, it is also called ‘Chhhoti Diwali’ or Diwali minor.
The Myth of Dhanavantri
Another legend says, in the cosmic battle between the gods and the demons when both churned the ocean for ‘amrit’ or divine nectar, Dhanavantri – the physician of the gods and an incarnation of Vishnu – emerged carrying a pot of the elixir. So, according to this mythological tale, the word Dhanteras comes from the name Dhanavantri, the divine doctor.
Kuber: The Lord of Riches
Kuber (also called Kubera or Kuvera), the lord of riches and treasures, is a demi-god in Hinduism. Kuber does not occupy a very conspicuous position in Hindu mythology except for his frequent mentions in the epic Ramayana as the God of gold and wealth.
Kuber’s Countenance and Iconography
The meaning of the name ‘Kuber’ in Sanskrit is ‘ill-shaped’ or ‘deformed’ although some say that his name is derived from ‘kumba,’ which means ‘to conceal.’ The former has bearings in the description of Kuber in later Puranic texts, where he is seen as fat and dwarf wearing a lot of jewelry and carrying a bag of gold coins, a club, and sometimes a pomegranate. His deformities include three legs, eight teeth, and one eye. According to myths, Kuber was Lord Brahma’s ‘mental’ grandson, who deserted his father Vaisravana, and went to his grandfather. Brahma, as a reward made him immortal, and appointed him to be the god of riches, with Lanka for his capital, and the car Pushpak for his vehicle. This car was of immense size, and moved at its owner’s will at a marvelous speed; Ravana took it by force from Kuber, at whose death it was restored by Rama to its original possessor.
Kuber: The Glutton God
Kuber is also called the King of the Yakshasas—savage beings who, because the moment they were born said, “Let us eat,” were called Yakshasas. These beings were ever on the watch for prey, and ate those they slew in battle.
Throughout the Ramayana there are brief references to Kuber as the giver of riches, and also to the beauty of his palace and gardens. Thus Saint Bharadwaj, desirous of giving Rama and Lakshman a fitting reception, said: “Here let Kuvera’s garden rise, / Which far in Northern Kuru lies; / For leaves let cloth and gems entwine, / And let its fruit be nymphs divine.”
The Mythical Garden of Kuber
Kuber’s garden is a place “where the inhabitants enjoy a natural perfection, attended with complete happiness, obtained without exertion. There is there no vicissitude, nor decrepitude, nor death, nor fear; no distinction of virtue and vice, none of the inequalities denoted by the words ‘best,’ ‘worst,’ and ‘intermediate,’ nor any change resulting from the succession of the four Yugas. There is neither grief, weariness, anxiety, hunger, nor fear. The people live in perfect health, free from every suffering, for ten or twelve thousand years. We also find that as Sugriva was sending forth his armies to search for Sita, he spoke of this garden to Satabal, the leader of the army of the North in the story of Ramayana.
Kuber’s Family Tree
Kuber married Yakshi or Charvi; and two of his sons, through a curse of the sage Narada, became trees, in which condition they remained until Krishna, when an infant, uprooted them. As the story goes, Narada met with them in a forest, bathing with their wives, in a state of intoxication. The wives, ashamed of themselves, fell at Narada’s feet and sought for pardon; but as their husbands, i.e., Kuber’s sons disregarded the presence of the sage, they suffered the full effects of his curse, and remained trees!
Kuber’s Credit to Vishnu
As the legend goes, Kuber loaned some money to Lord Venkateshwara – as Lord Vishnu is known in South India – for his marriage with Padmavati. So, devotees making a pilgrimage to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh often donate money to the ‘hundi’ or donation pot of Lord Venkateshwara to help him repay the money to Kuber.
Kuber Worship
Hindus worship Kuber as the treasurer of wealth and bestower of riches, along with Goddess Lakshmi before Diwali on the Dhanteras day. This custom of worshiping Lakshmi and Kuber together is in prospect of doubling the benefits of such prayers.
The Kuber Gayatri Mantra
“Om Yaksharaajaya Vidmahay, Vaishravanaya Dhimahi, Tanno Kubera Prachodayat.” This means: “We meditate on Kuber, the king of the Yakshas, and son of Vishravana. May that god of wealth inspire and illumine us.” This mantra is often uttered to gain Kuber’s blessings in the form of prosperity and acquisition of wealth.