Long ago, the gods and the asuras agreed to churn the great ocean of milk together, hoping to bring up amrita, the nectar of immortality.
They used a mountain as the churning rod and a great serpent as the rope, and they pulled and pulled. Many wonders rose from the waves, one after another.
At last a shining figure stepped out of the ocean, carrying a pot of amrita in his hands. He was Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods, who knows the healing power of herbs and care.
Many families remember Dhanvantari on Dhanteras, the first day of Diwali. Before the lamps and sweets, they pause to give thanks for good health.
“Why health first?” a child might ask. A grandparent might answer: “Because when we are well, we can work, play, learn and look after one another. That is a treasure worth more than gold.”