『ラーマーヤナ』の『バラ・カンダ』<ref>Valmiki Ramayana: Balakanda, https://books.google.com/books?id=glKDtKF8XOIC, page556, Harekrishna Satapathy, Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, year2010</ref>と『バガヴァタ・プラーナ』によると、ダヌヴァンタリは乳海から現れ、サムドラ・マータナの仲にアムリタ([[不老不死の薬|不老不死の霊薬]])の壺を持って現れた。乳海はデーヴァとアシュラによってかき回され、かき回すのにマンダラ山と蛇のヴァスキーを使ったと書かれている。アムリタの壺はアスラに奪われ、この後、ヴィシュヌのアバターであるモヒニが出現して、アスラからアムリタを取り返した。 また、ダヌヴァンタリはアーユルヴェーダを広めたとされている<ref name="M107">Madhavan 2007, p.107</ref>。ここで特筆すべきは、ダヌヴァンタリの薬草を完全に解明した『ダヌヴァンタリ・ニガントゥ(''Dhanvantari-Nighantu'')』の論文である<ref>[https://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/studies-on-medicinal-planets-and-drugs-in-dhanvantari-nighantu-two-volumes-NAD479/][http://www.saujanyabooks.com/details.aspx?id=34040][https://www.scribd.com/doc/290274952/dhanvantari-nighantu-pdf][http://www.vaidyaraj-ayurveda.com/dhanvantari.html][https://docslide.us/documents/dhanvantari-nighantupdf.html][https://www.amazon.in/Dhanvantari-Nighantu-Sanskrit-Text-English-Translation/dp/8189469126 Dhanvantari-Nighantu]</ref>。
『ブラフマンダ・プラーナ(Brahmanda Purana)』には、医薬神の起源が記されている<ref>www.wisdomlib.org, 2019-06-21, The origin of Dhanvantari [Chapter 67], https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-brahmanda-purana/d/doc362925.html, 2022-08-02, www.wisdomlib.org</ref>。
''The [[Balakanda|Bala Kanda]]'' of the ''[[Ramayana]]''<ref>{{cite book|title=Valmiki Ramayana: Balakanda|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=glKDtKF8XOIC|page=556|author=Harekrishna Satapathy|publisher=Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha|year=2010}}</ref> and ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'' state that Dhanvantari emerged from the [[Ocean of Milk]] and appeared with the pot of [[amrita]] (elixir of immortality) during the ''[[Samudra manthan|Samudra Mathana]],'' whilst the ocean was being churned by the [[Deva (Hinduism)|deva]]s and the [[asura]]s, using the [[Mount Mandara|Mandara]] mountain and the serpent [[Vasuki]]. The pot of amrita was snatched by the asuras, and after this event, Vishnu's avatar, [[Mohini]], appears and takes the nectar back from the asuras. It is also believed that Dhanvantari promulgated the practice of Ayurveda.<ref name="M107">[[#Madhavan|Madhavan 2007]], p. 107</ref> Of special mention here is the treatise of ''Dhanvantari-Nighantu'', which completely elucidates Dhanvantari's medicinal plants.<ref>[https://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/studies-on-medicinal-planets-and-drugs-in-dhanvantari-nighantu-two-volumes-NAD479/][http://www.saujanyabooks.com/details.aspx?id=34040][https://www.scribd.com/doc/290274952/dhanvantari-nighantu-pdf][http://www.vaidyaraj-ayurveda.com/dhanvantari.html][https://docslide.us/documents/dhanvantari-nighantupdf.html][https://www.amazon.in/Dhanvantari-Nighantu-Sanskrit-Text-English-Translation/dp/8189469126 Dhanvantari-Nighantu]</ref>
The [[Brahmanda Purana]] describes the origin of the physician deity:<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2019-06-21 |title=The origin of Dhanvantari [Chapter 67] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-brahmanda-purana/d/doc362925.html |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=Let the origin of Dhanvantari be heard, O Brāhmaṇas. He was born formerly when the ocean was being churned, for the sake of nectar. At the outset, he was born before the Kalaśa (pot). He was encircled by a halo of glory all round. On seeing him having accomplished his task suddenly, Viṣṇu who was standing by said—“You are born of water”. Hence, he is remembered as Abja (water-born). Abja said to Viṣṇu—“O lord, I am your son. Allot me my share and place in the world, O excellent god.”
Let the origin of Dhanvantari be heard, O Brāhmaṇas. He was born formerly when the ocean was being churned, for the sake of nectar. At the outset, he was born before the Kalaśa (pot). He was encircled by a halo of glory all round. On seeing him having accomplished his task suddenly, Viṣṇu who was standing by said—“You are born of water”. Hence, he is remembered as Abja (water-born). Abja said to Viṣṇu—“O lord, I am your son. Allot me my share and place in the world, O excellent god.” On being told thus, the lord said after review in the factual position, “The division of the Yajña has already been made by the sons of Diti as well as the Suras. The due performance of Homas etc. has been laid down in the Vedas by the great sages. It is not possible to get Homa performed unto you at any time. As you are born subsequent to Vedas O god, you have no Mantra (assignable to you). O lord, in your second incarnation you will earn reputation in the world. Then you will attain the super-natural powers like Aṇimā (minuteness) and others. O lord, you will attain Deva-hood with this selfsame body. Brāhmaṇas (and other twice-born ones) shall worship you with Caturmantras (i.e. Mantras from the four Vedas), ghee offerings and Gavyas (materials of worship obtained from milk, milk products). You will once again reproduce the Āyurveda (the Science of Medicine). These incidents and events are inevitable and have already been visualised by the lotus-born lord (Brahmā) earlier. Undoubtedly you will be born in the second Dvāpara Yuga”. Therefore, after granting the boon, Viṣṇu disappeared.|title=[[Brahmanda Purana]]|source=Chapter 67}}
=== Incarnation ===