PLATE SEVEN
While the sons of Kaśyapa, both demons and demigods, were engaged in churning the ocean of milk, a very wonderful male person appeared, carrying a jug filled to the top with nectar. He was as strongly built as a lion; his arms were long, stout and strong; his neck, which was marked with three lines, resembled a conchshell; his eyes were reddish; and his complexion was blackish. He was very young, he was garlanded with flowers, and his entire body was fully decorated with various ornaments. He was dressed in yellow garments, and from his ears hung brightly polished earrings made of pearls. The tips of his hair were anointed with oil, and his chest was very broad. His body had all good features, and he was decorated with bangles. His name was Dhanvantari, a plenary portion of a plenary portion of Lord Viṣṇu. It is he who inaugurated the science of medicine in the universe, and it is he who very quickly cures the diseases of the ever-diseased living entities simply by His fame personified. As one of the demigods, he is permitted to take a share in sacrifices, and only because of him do the demigods achieve a long duration of life. ( pp. 312–314 )