What is there in a name?

 Yes, we all know that Shakespeare's Juliet asked this famous question, given her lovelorn state. Such metaphysics of 'i-dentity' apart, in humdrum life, names do matter, and not only for people, believe me. Okay, let us not right now get in to the changing of the names of a city/region/country. It is a huge topic that we shall deal with some other time.

Right now, let us look at the nomenclature of the second day of the Diwali festival. Yes, it is Dhantrayodashi alias Dhanteras. Actually, however, it has less to do with 'dhan', 'wealth', though, of course, 'health is wealth', and the day is actually more a celebration thereof.

Look at the rituals associated with the day, for example. Only on this day,  or rather, only during this evening, it is allowed to put a diya with its wick southwards. Generally, the flame of the diya is supposed to be easter-ly, that is, towards the east, and never towards the south. The logic is that the South is supposedly the direction of Yama, the master of death. 

May be, this mythology can be scientifically explained through the polar power. Generally, hence, in good families, you are not even allowed to sleep with feet pointing southwards, forget the diya getting lit southwards.

On this particular day, the diya is consciously lighted in a such way that the wick, the flame would be southwards as a token of  blessings that there would not be any untimely death in the family. Instead there would always be the wealth of health. Interesting is the legend associated with the practice.

There is this young bride whose newly married husband is predicted to die on the fourth day of their marriage. The feisty girl is determined to fight against the destiny. On this very day, since the evening, she puts her newly wedded husband atop a pile of gold, silver and diamonds, and she lits up the entire room truly brightly. 

When Yama, the lord of death, enters the room, his eyes are blinded by the glittering mound. So he assumes the form of a serpent to see clearly. He cannot, however, slither up the mound. All along, she sings, tells stories to her husband so that he does not fall asleep.

Her dedication and genuineness win over even Yama, and he blesses her that there would not be any untimely death. To celebrate her victory over death, there is this puja of wealth at home (its glitter matters as in the story) to which one is supposed to add a little each year. The offering of the coriander seeds in the puja is closely related to health, too, given its calming effect on the body.

In my opinion, the 'love'ly story seems to suggest that health is the real wealth. It is hence a puja of 'Dhanwantary', the divine man of medicine, emerging out of the churning of the "ksheersagar" with the "amrut kalash". 'Amrit' is life-ascertaining as well. All the dispensaries, most doctors, host hence a puja this evening.

In other words, the very nomenclature and the myths/the legends associated with this second day prove very strongly that the real wealth IS health!

Pratima@Each and every part of our body is beautifully fitted in and has a perfect function. What a great design we are! We must hence use it best and to the advantage of our own selves, of all who deeply bond with us, and for the greater good!