The Dhanteras Story for Kids: Dhanvantari and the Churning of the Ocean

Dhanteras is the first day of Diwali, and for many families it is the day the festival really begins. Homes are cleaned and decorated, the first lamps are lit, and many families buy something new, often a utensil, a coin or a piece of jewellery. Shops are busy, and there is a feeling of excitement that the festival of lights has arrived.

The name comes from dhana, wealth, and terasa, the thirteenth. Dhanteras falls on the thirteenth day, trayodaśī, of the dark fortnight of the month the festival falls in, two days before the main Lakshmi Puja. It is also known as Dhanatrayodashi. Here are the stories behind it, told simply for children.

The churning of the ocean

Long ago, the gods had lost their strength and were in danger of being defeated by the asuras. Vishnu told them that if they could obtain amrita, the nectar of immortality, they would be strong again. But the amrita lay hidden deep in the ocean of milk, and the only way to get it was to churn the ocean. That was too big a job for the gods alone, so they made a truce with the asuras and agreed to churn it together.

They used the great mountain Mandara as the churning rod and the serpent king Vasuki as the rope. The gods held one end and the asuras held the other, and they pulled back and forth, back and forth. When the mountain began to sink, Vishnu took the form of Kurma, a giant tortoise, and held it up on his back.

As the ocean was churned, wonderful and terrible things rose from it. First came the deadly poison halahala, which Shiva drank to save the world, turning his throat blue. Then came treasures: the wish-fulfilling cow Kamadhenu, the white horse Ucchaihshravas, the elephant Airavata, the wish-fulfilling tree, and the goddess Lakshmi herself, who chose Vishnu as her consort.

Dhanvantari appears

Last of all, from the churning waters rose a radiant figure carrying a pot, a kalasha, filled with amrita. This was Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods, regarded in the tradition as a form of Vishnu and as the divine source of Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine.

In many traditions, Dhanteras is remembered as the day Dhanvantari emerged from the ocean, and he is worshipped on this day for the health and wellbeing of the family. The Government of India marks the same day as National Ayurveda Day. That is why many families say that on Dhanteras, the first wealth we pray for is good health.

Dhanteras begins with wealth in its name, but its oldest story is about health. The tradition is reminding us which matters more.

King Hima’s son and the lamps

There is another well-loved legend of Dhanteras. A king named Hima had a son, and at his birth a prophecy was made: on the fourth day after his marriage, the prince would die of a snakebite. When the prince married, his young bride heard of the prophecy and decided she would not let it happen.

On the fourth night, she would not let her husband sleep. She piled all her gold and silver jewellery and coins in a great heap at the door of their room, and lit lamps all around, so that the whole doorway blazed with light. Then she sat with her husband and told him stories and sang songs through the night to keep him awake.

At midnight, Yama, the god of death, arrived at the door in the form of a serpent. But the dazzling light from the lamps and the shining gold blinded him, and he could not enter. He climbed up onto the heap of jewels and sat there all night, listening to the songs and stories. When morning came, the time of the prophecy had passed, and Yama quietly went away. The prince was saved by his wife’s cleverness and courage.

This is a legend, and families tell it in slightly different ways. But it explains two Dhanteras customs. Many families light a lamp facing south, the direction associated with Yama, on this evening, called Yama Deepam or Yamadeepdaan, praying that the family be protected. And the custom of buying gold, silver or metal on this day is linked by many families to the treasure the bride piled at the door.

How Dhanteras is celebrated

Homes are cleaned, and the doorway is decorated with rangoli and lamps, often with small footprints leading inside to welcome Lakshmi. In the evening, families worship Lakshmi and Kubera, the god of wealth, and many also worship Dhanvantari. A lamp is lit outside facing south for Yama.

Buying something new is a popular custom, especially metal: a steel or brass vessel, a silver coin, or gold. Many families explain this as welcoming prosperity into the home for the year ahead. It does not need to be expensive. A small new spoon or a plate is enough to keep the tradition.

Talking to children about wealth

Dhanteras is a wonderful opportunity to talk to children about what wealth really means. The stories give a clear answer. Dhanvantari reminds us that health is the first wealth. The bride in Hima’s story shows that wisdom, courage and love are worth more than the gold she piled at the door; the gold was only a tool. And Lakshmi, in the tradition, stays only in homes that are clean, kind, honest and generous.

Ask your child: if you could have one kind of wealth, what would it be? Many children choose friends, family, or being healthy, and that is exactly the lesson.

Celebrating with children

Let your child help clean and decorate the doorway. Tell the story of the churning of the ocean while you light the first lamps. Let them choose the small new item the family buys, and explain why. And help them light, with an adult, the Yama Deepam facing south, telling the story of the clever bride as they do.

Our live Indian culture and storytelling classes explore festivals like Dhanteras and the stories behind them, including the churning of the ocean, which leads into many other stories. If you would like your child to learn with a mentor, enquire about our classes through the Book a Class page.