Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 34

Lakṣmī’s Emergence, Dhanvantari, and the Advent of Mohinī-mūrti

Devanagari script

स वै भगवत: साक्षाद्विष्णोरंशांशसम्भव: । धन्वन्तरिरिति ख्यात आयुर्वेदद‍ृगिज्यभाक् ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

sa vai bhagavataḥ sākṣād viṣṇor aṁśāṁśa-sambhavaḥ dhanvantarir iti khyāta āyur-veda-dṛg ijya-bhāk

Translation

This person was Dhanvantari, a plenary portion of a plenary portion of Lord Viṣṇu. He was very conversant with the science of medicine, and as one of the demigods he was permitted to take a share in sacrifices.

Synonyms

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• भगवतः: of the Lord
• भगवतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly, manifestly
• साक्षात्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अंश-अंश-सम्भवः: born as a portion of a portion (partial expansion)
• अंश-अंश-सम्भवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): 'अंशस्य अंशः' + 'सम्भवः' = 'अंशांशसम्भवः'

• धन्वन्तरिः: Dhanvantari
• धन्वन्तरिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन्वन्तरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (proper noun)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्ति/quotative particle

• ख्यातः: known (as)
• ख्यातः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु) → ख्यात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आयुः-वेद-दृक्: knower of Ayurveda
• आयुः-वेद-दृक्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + दृश् (धातु) → दृक् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष-समासार्थः: 'आयुर्वेदं पश्यति/जानाति' = 'आयुर्वेददृक्' (knower/seer of Ayurveda)

• इज्या-भाक्: recipient of worship
• इज्या-भाक्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इज्या (प्रातिपदिक) + भज् (धातु) → भाक् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: 'इज्यां भजते' = 'इज्यभाक्' (one who receives/partakes of worship)

Purport

Śrīla Madhvācārya remarks:

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Dhanvantari

FAQs

Who is Dhanvantari in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

This verse identifies Dhanvantari as directly connected to the Supreme Lord—an expansion of Lord Viṣṇu—and as the renowned knower of Āyurveda.

What does the Bhagavatam say about the origin of Ayurveda?

It presents Āyurveda as divine knowledge revealed through Dhanvantari, who is described here as the ‘seer of Āyurveda’ (āyurveda-dṛk).

How can devotees apply this verse in modern life?

By honoring health and healing as sacred service to the Lord—using medical knowledge ethically and with devotion, remembering its divine source in Viṣṇu.