# Dhanteras Legends: Story and Vidhi > The legends of Dhanteras: King Hima's son saved from death by his bride's lamps and stories, and Dhanvantari rising with the nectar. Source: https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/dhanteras/legends/dhanteras-legends | Day | Kartika Krishna Trayodashi | | --- | --- | | Customs explained | Yama Deepam; buying gold and utensils; Dhanvantari puja | ## King Hima's son King Hima had a son of whom astrologers foretold that he would die of a snake bite on the fourth day of his marriage. When the day came, his young bride would not let him sleep. She piled all her gold and silver ornaments and coins in a heap at the door of their room, lit lamps all around, and sat up through the night telling him stories and singing songs. At midnight Yama, the god of death, came in the form of a serpent. But the blaze of the lamps on the gold and silver dazzled him, and he could not enter. He climbed onto the heap of ornaments and sat there all night, listening to the songs and stories. At dawn he quietly went away, and the prince lived. So on Dhanteras night a lamp is lit for Yama at the door, facing south (Yama Deepam), and gold, silver and new utensils are bought and brought home. ## Dhanvantari When the gods and the asuras churned the ocean of milk, Dhanvantari, an avatar of Vishnu, rose from it on the Trayodashi of Kartika, carrying the pot of amrita and the knowledge of Ayurveda. He is the physician of the gods, and the day is also kept as Dhanvantari Jayanti and National Ayurveda Day, with prayers for health, since health is the first wealth. ## Dates and related pages - [Kuber Puja Vidhi](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/dhanteras/info/kuber-puja-vidhi) - [Yama Deepam](https://www.hinducalendar.today/diwali/yama-deepam/yama-deepam-date-time) - [Dhanvantari Puja Vidhi](https://www.hinducalendar.today/diwali/dhanvantari-trayodashi/puja-vidhi/dhanvantari-puja-vidhi) - [Lord Dhanvantari](https://www.hinducalendar.today/hindu-gods/trimurti/lord-vishnu/avatara/twenty-four/lord-dhanvantari/info/lord-dhanvantari) ## Festival and Vrat Kathas - [Vat Savitri Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/vat-savitri/vat-savitri-vrat-katha) - [Varalakshmi Vrata Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/varalakshmi-puja/varalakshmi-vrata-katha) - [Mahalakshmi Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/maha-lakshmi/mahalakshmi-vrat-katha) - [Kojagara Puja Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/kojagara-puja/kojagara-puja-vrat-katha) - [Maha Shivaratri Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/maha-shivaratri/maha-shivaratri-vrat-katha) - [Tulasi Vivah Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/tulasi-vivah/tulasi-vivah-vrat-katha) - [Ananta Chaturdashi Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/ananta-chaturdashi/ananta-chaturdashi-vrat-katha) - [Akshaya Tritiya Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/akshaya-tritiya/akshaya-tritiya-vrat-katha) - [Akshaya Navami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/akshaya-navami/akshaya-navami-vrat-katha) - [Yama Dwitiya Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/yama-dwitiya/yama-dwitiya-vrat-katha) - [Nag Panchami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/nag-panchami/nag-panchami-vrat-katha) - [Rishi Panchami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/rishi-panchami/rishi-panchami-vrat-katha) - [Hala Shashthi Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/hala-shashthi/hala-shashthi-vrat-katha) - [Jivitputrika Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/jivitputrika-vrata/jivitputrika-vrat-katha) - [Kokila Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/kokila/kokila-vrat-katha) - [Jaya Parvati Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/jaya-parvati/jaya-parvati-vrat-katha) - [Mangala Gauri Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/mangala-gauri/mangala-gauri-vrat-katha) - [Gangaur Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/gangaur/gangaur-vrat-katha) - [Jyeshtha Gauri Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/jyeshtha-gauri/jyeshtha-gauri-vrat-katha) - [Pithori Amavasya Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/pithori-amavasya/pithori-amavasya-vrat-katha) - [Ashoka Ashtami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/ashoka-ashtami/ashoka-ashtami-vrat-katha) - [Durva Ashtami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/durva-ashtami/durva-ashtami-vrat-katha) - [Purnima Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/purnima/purnima-vrat-katha) - [Rama Navami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/rama-navami/rama-navami-vrat-katha) - [Sita Navami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/sita-navami/sita-navami-vrat-katha) - [Vivah Panchami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/vivah-panchami/vivah-panchami-vrat-katha) - [Hanuman Jayanti Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/hanuman-jayanti/hanuman-jayanti-vrat-katha) - [Narasimha Jayanti Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/narasimha-jayanti/narasimha-jayanti-vrat-katha) - [Parashurama Jayanti Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/parashurama-jayanti/parashurama-jayanti-vrat-katha) - [Balarama Jayanti Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/balarama-jayanti/balarama-jayanti-vrat-katha) - [Buddha Purnima Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/buddha-purnima/buddha-purnima-vrat-katha) - [Narada Jayanti Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/narada-jayanti/narada-jayanti-vrat-katha) - [Ganga Saptami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/ganga-saptami/ganga-saptami-vrat-katha) - [Chhinnamasta Jayanti Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/chhinnamasta-jayanti/chhinnamasta-jayanti-vrat-katha) - [Mahesh Navami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/mahesh-navami/mahesh-navami-vrat-katha) - [Karwa Chauth Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/karwa-chauth/legends/karwa-chauth-legends) - [Ahoi Ashtami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/ahoi-ashtami/legends/ahoi-ashtami-vrat-katha) - [Hartalika Vrat Legend](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/teej/legends/hartalika-vrat-legend) - Dhanteras Legends - [Raksha Bandhan Legends](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/raksha-bandhan/legends/raksha-bandhan-legends) - [Holi Legends](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/holi/festivals-holi-legends) - [Sharad Purnima Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/purnima/sharad/legends/sharad-purnima-vrat-katha) - [Kumbha Mela Legends](https://www.hinducalendar.today/kumbh-mela/legends/kumbha-mela-legends)