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Vishnu seated on the coils of the serpent Shesha, whose hoods rise behind him, with his two consorts on either side over the waters — a chromolithograph after Raja Ravi Varma.
Vishnu on Shesha with his two consorts — Chromolithograph after Raja Ravi Varma, c. 1890s

Dhanvantari, Lakshmi, Kubera, Yama · 30 minutes at pradosh

Dhanteras — Dhanvantari, Lakshmi & the Yama deepa

Kartik Krishna Trayodashi (6 Nov 2026; 27 Oct 2027)

In the simplest words

Diwali's first evening: welcome Dhanvantari and Lakshmi, buy one new thing, and set the year's first lamp facing south for Yama.

Diwali's first day holds three prayers in one evening: to Dhanvantari, who rose from the ocean with the pot of amrit — health before wealth; to Lakshmi-Kubera for the year's honest prosperity; and the four-wick lamp for Yama at the threshold, asking that untimely death pass this house by.

Perform this puja

5 steps, one at a time, with the lamp, the mantras and the bell — on this screen.

Samagri — what you need

0/5 gathered

The vidhi, step by step

0/5 done

  1. Dhanvantari smaran

    At pradosh, light the first lamp for the physician of the gods and offer the kheer; the household's health named before its wealth.

    ॐ धन्वन्तरये नमः

    Oṁ Dhanvantaraye Namaḥ

    Om, salutations to Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods. He surfaced from the churned ocean holding the pot of amrita (Bhagavata Purana 8.8) — healing, the image says, is what finally rises when the depths have been worked all the way through. The mantra asks that treatment carry more than chemistry: that the divine hand steady the human one.

    Source: Traditional nāma-mantra (Āyurveda tradition)

  2. The new purchase blessed

    The day's purchase — utensil, metal, dhania seeds — marked with roli-akshat and set before Lakshmi.

  3. Lakshmi-Kubera puja

    A shorter version of the Diwali worship: deepa, pushpa, naivedya and the Shreem jaap — the full form comes on amavasya night.

    ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः

    Oṁ Śrīṁ Mahālakṣmyai Namaḥ

    Om — Shreem — salutations to Mahalakshmi. Shreem is shri compressed into a seed, planted by repetition. The mantra asks the goddess of abundance for her presence rather than her presents — where Lakshmi dwells, the tradition says, sufficiency follows on its own.

    Source: Traditional bīja-mantra of the Devi worship corpus

  4. Kubera at the tijori

    The safe/cash-place cleaned and marked; the treasurer's mantra spoken over it.

    ॐ कुबेराय नमः

    Oṁ Kuberāya Namaḥ

    Om, salutations to Kubera, treasurer of the gods. Not their owner — their treasurer: in this theology wealth is held in trust, guarded at the northern door, released where it serves. The mantra asks for the treasurer's own relationship with money — custody without capture.

    Source: Traditional nāma-mantra

  5. Yama deepa at the door

    After sunset the four-wick til-oil lamp is set outside the main door facing south — the one night Yama is petitioned with light. It burns through the night.

Note: Dhanteras is also National Ayurveda Day — Dhanvantari's medicine outranks the shopping. The Yama deepa placement (outside, south-facing) is its one firm rule; wind-safe placement matters.

Dhanteras →Diwali · Lakshmi Puja →