Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 4

Dynasty of Kṣatravṛddha: Kāśi Kings, Dhanvantari, Rajī’s Sons, and the Transition to Nahuṣa

Devanagari script

काश्यस्य काशिस्तत्पुत्रो राष्ट्रो दीर्घतम:पिता । धन्वन्तरिर्दीर्घतमस आयुर्वेदप्रवर्तक: । यज्ञभुग् वासुदेवांश: स्मृतमात्रार्तिनाशन: ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

kāśyasya kāśis tat-putro rāṣṭro dīrghatamaḥ-pitā dhanvantarir dīrghatamasa āyur-veda-pravartakaḥ yajña-bhug vāsudevāṁśaḥ smṛta-mātrārti-nāśanaḥ

Translation

The son of Kāśya was Kāśi, and his son was Rāṣṭra, the father of Dīrghatama. Dīrghatama had a son named Dhanvantari, who was the inaugurator of the medical science and an incarnation of Lord Vāsudeva, the enjoyer of the results of sacrifices. One who remembers the name of Dhanvantari can be released from all disease.

Synonyms

• kāśyasya: of Kāśya
• kāśyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• kāśiḥ: Kāśi
• kāśiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat-putraḥ: his son
• tat-putraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tasya putraḥ)

• rāṣṭraḥ: Rāṣṭra
• rāṣṭraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• dīrghatamaḥ-pitā: (whose) father was Dīrghatamas
• dīrghatamaḥ-pitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīrghatama (प्रातिपदिक) + pitṛ/pitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (dīrghatamasya pitā)

• dhanvantariḥ: Dhanvantari
• dhanvantariḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanvantari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• dīrghatamasaḥ: of Dīrghatamas
• dīrghatamasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīrghatamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• āyur-veda-pravartakaḥ: promulgator of Ayurveda
• āyur-veda-pravartakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyus (प्रातिपदिक) + veda (प्रातिपदिक) + pravartaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष-समासार्थः: āyurvedasya pravartakaḥ (promulgator of Ayurveda)

• yajña-bhuk: enjoyer/partaker of sacrifices
• yajña-bhuk: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuj (धातु) → bhuk (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (yajñaṃ bhuṅkte iti)

• vāsudeva-aṁśaḥ: a portion/partial incarnation of Vāsudeva
• vāsudeva-aṁśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsudeva (प्रातिपदिक) + aṁśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (vāsudevasya aṁśaḥ)

• smṛta-mātra-ārti-nāśanaḥ: destroyer of suffering by mere remembrance
• smṛta-mātra-ārti-nāśanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: smṛta (कृदन्त; √smṛ स्मृ धातु, क्त) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक) + ārti (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासार्थः: smṛta-mātreṇa ārteḥ nāśanaḥ (destroyer of distress merely by being remembered)

Characters & Entities

• Kāśya
• Kāśi
• Rāṣṭra
• Dīrghatamā
• Dhanvantari
• Vāsudeva

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Dhanvantari and Ayurveda?

This verse states that Dhanvantari, born from Dīrghatamā’s line, is the promulgator of Āyurveda, establishing him as the divine source of Vedic medical knowledge.

Why is Dhanvantari called a portion of Vāsudeva in the Bhagavatam?

The verse identifies Dhanvantari as vāsudevāṁśa—an empowered divine expansion—showing that healing and the protection of life are expressions of the Lord’s mercy.

How can ‘remembering Dhanvantari destroys distress’ be applied in modern life?

It encourages devotional remembrance and prayer for relief from suffering, alongside righteous living and responsible care of the body through Āyurvedic principles.