# Dhanteras Puja at Home: Kuber, Dhanvantari and Lakshmi Mantras > A simple Dhanteras puja for home on 6 November 2026: samagri, step-by-step vidhi, Yama Deepam, and mantras for Dhanvantari, Kubera and Lakshmi. - **Published:** 2026-10-09 - **Author:** Mahakatha - **Category:** festivals - **Canonical URL:** https://mahakatha.com/blog/dhanteras-puja-at-home/ Dhanteras opens the five days of Diwali. It's an evening of new lamps, new beginnings, and three gentle prayers: to Dhanvantari for health, to Kubera for wealth kept well, and to Lakshmi, who makes a home feel full. The name comes from dhan (wealth) and teras (the thirteenth day of the waning moon). But the oldest story of the day is about health. In the churning of the cosmic ocean, Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods, rose from the waters holding a pot of amrit, the nectar of life. That's why many people say the first wealth is good health. This guide walks you through a simple Dhanteras puja at home: what to keep ready, the steps, and the mantras for Dhanvantari, Kubera and Lakshmi. Each mantra link opens its full lyrics, meaning and our recording, so you can listen and chant along. Customs differ a lot between regions and families. If your family has its own way, follow it. This is a simple outline for anyone who'd like one. ## Dhanteras 2026 date In 2026, Dhanteras falls on **Friday, 6 November**. The puja is usually done in the evening, during Pradosh Kaal, the time just after sunset. The exact puja time changes by city, so please check your local panchang. - [Dhanteras and the five days of Diwali 2026 (Drik Panchang)](https://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-festivals/diwali/diwali.html?year=2026) Diwali's main night, Lakshmi Puja, follows on Sunday, 8 November. For a mantra for each of the five days, see our [simple guide to the five days of Diwali](https://mahakatha.com/blog/best-mantra-for-diwali/). ## Who we pray to on Dhanteras ### Dhanvantari, for health Dhanvantari is a form of Vishnu and the god of Ayurveda, the traditional Indian science of healing. He's usually shown with four arms, holding a conch, a discus, a leech and the pot of amrit. On Dhanteras, many people pray to him for the health of everyone in the home. You can read more about him on our [Dhanvantari page](https://mahakatha.com/deities/dhanavantri/). ### Kubera, for wealth kept well Kubera is the treasurer of the gods and the king of the Yakshas, the guardians of the earth's hidden riches. He's often shown as round and smiling, holding a money pot or a mongoose that spills jewels. The tradition sees him as the keeper of wealth, the one who guards it and helps it stay. You can read more on our [Kubera page](https://mahakatha.com/deities/kubera/). ### Lakshmi, the one who fills the home Lakshmi also rose from the churning of the ocean. On Dhanteras, many families welcome her into the home with lamps and a clean doorway, two evenings before the main Lakshmi Puja of Diwali. ## Dhanteras puja samagri - Pictures or small murtis of Ganesha, Lakshmi, Kubera and Dhanvantari. If you don't have all of them, Ganesha and Lakshmi are enough. - A clean cloth for the altar, often red or yellow. - Diyas (clay lamps), ghee or oil, and cotton wicks. Many families light 13 lamps on this day. - Roli or kumkum, rice (akshat), turmeric, flowers and incense. - A small pot (kalash or lota) of water. - Sweets, fruit, and dhaniya (coriander seeds) or batasha. Some families offer whole coriander seeds and later sow a few. - Any new metal item you bought for the day, such as a steel or silver utensil or coin, to place before Lakshmi and Kubera. - An extra four-wick lamp for Yama Deepam (see below), if your family keeps that custom. ## Simple Dhanteras puja vidhi at home 1. **Clean and decorate.** During the day, clean the home, especially the entrance. Many families draw a rangoli at the doorway and hang a toran. 1. **Prepare yourself and the altar.** In the evening, bathe and wear clean clothes. Place the cloth on a low table facing east or north, and set the pictures or murtis on it. Put the kalash of water beside them. 1. **Begin with Ganesha.** Light a diya and say a short Ganesha prayer, such as [Om Shree Ganeshaya Namah](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/ganesha/om-shree-ganeshaya/). 1. **Make your sankalp.** Hold a little water, rice and a flower. In your own words, say that you're doing the Dhanteras puja and what you're praying for: health, harmony, a home that feels full. Then let the water go into a plate. 1. **Pray to Dhanvantari.** Offer roli, rice and a flower, and chant his mantra (below). Pray for the health of everyone in your home. 1. **Pray to Kubera and Lakshmi.** Offer roli, rice, flowers, sweets and coriander seeds. Place your new utensil, coins or account books before them. Chant their mantras (below). 1. **Light the lamps.** Light the diyas and place them around the home: at the altar, the entrance, the kitchen and the windows. 1. **Aarti.** Wave the lamp before the deities and sing the aarti your family knows, such as the [Shri Lakshmi Aarti](https://mahakatha.com/aarti/shri-lakshmi-aarti/). 1. **Yama Deepam.** Later in the evening, many families light one four-wick lamp outside the main door, facing south, for Yama, the lord of death. It's a prayer that no one in the home meets an early death. Light it, bow, and let it burn on its own. 1. **Share the prasad.** Share the sweets with your family. ## Dhanteras mantras You don't need to say every mantra here. Choose one for each deity, or just the one you feel closest to. Many people chant 11, 21 or 108 times. The words below match our mantra pages, where you'll find the meaning and our recording. ### Dhanvantari mantra The short form, easy to repeat: Om Shree Dhanvantaraye Namah ॐ श्री धन्वन्तरये नमः [Dhanvantari Japa Mantra: meaning and audio](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/dhanavantri/dhanavantri-japa-mantra/) The longer prayer: Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, Dhanvantaraye Amritakalasha Hastaya, Sarvaamaya Vinashaya Trailokyanathaya, Dhanvantari Mahavishnave Namah ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय धन्वन्तरये अमृतकलश हस्ताय सर्वामय विनाशाय त्रैलोक्यनाथाय धन्वन्तरि महाविष्णवे नमः In simple words: "Salutations to Lord Vasudeva, to Dhanvantari who holds the pot of nectar, who removes all illness, the lord of the three worlds, Dhanvantari, the great Vishnu." [Dhanvantari Mantra: meaning and audio](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/dhanavantri/dhanavantri-mantra/) A gentle note: chanting for health is a prayer, not a treatment. Please keep seeing your doctor for any health concern. ### Kuber mantra The best-known Kubera mantra asks him, as lord of wealth and grain, for abundance: Om Yakshaya Kuberaya Vaishravanaya, Dhanadhanyadhipataye, Dhanadhanyasamriddhim Me Dehi Daapaya Svaha ॐ यक्षाय कुबेराय वैश्रवणाय धनधान्याधिपतये धनधान्यसमृद्धिं मे देहि दापय स्वाहा [Kubera Diwali Mantra: meaning and audio](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/kubera/kubera-diwali-mantra/) A shorter one, which honours Kubera together with Lakshmi: Om Kuberaya, Om Dhanadaya, Om Dhanalakshmi Sadavasaya Namah ॐ कुबेराय ॐ धनदाय ॐ धनलक्ष्मी सदावसाय नमः [Kubera Dhanalakshmi Mantra: meaning and audio](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/kubera/kubera-dhanalakshmi-mantra/) You'll find more on our [Kubera mantras](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/kubera/) page, including the one-syllable [Kubera Beeja Mantra](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/kubera/kubera-beeja-mantra/). ### Lakshmi mantra Om Shree Mahalakshmyai Cha Vidmahe, Vishnu Patnyai Cha Dheemahi, Tanno Lakshmi Prachodayat ॐ श्री महालक्ष्म्यै च विद्महे विष्णु पत्न्यै च धीमहि तन्नो लक्ष्मी प्रचोदयात् ॥ [Lakshmi Gayatri Mantra: meaning and audio](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/lakshmi/lakshmi-gayatri-mantra/) Or the short beeja mantra: Om Hreem Shreem Lakshmibhyo Namah ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं लक्ष्मीभ्यो नमः [Lakshmi Beeja Mantra: meaning and audio](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/lakshmi/lakshmi-beeja-mantra/) For more, see our [Lakshmi mantras](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/lakshmi/). We'll keep the longer Lakshmi hymns for Diwali night. ## What do people buy on Dhanteras? Buying something new on Dhanteras is a much-loved custom. Many families buy a steel, brass or silver utensil, a silver coin, or a little gold. Some buy a new broom, which is linked with sweeping out the old and welcoming Lakshmi. Others buy whole coriander seeds. There's no rule that you must buy anything, and certainly nothing expensive. The tradition sees the new object as a symbol of welcoming abundance, and a small, mindful purchase carries the same meaning as a big one. ## Questions people often ask ### How many diyas should I light on Dhanteras? Many families light 13 lamps, matching the name of the day (teras means thirteen). Others light as many as they like, at the altar, the doorway, the kitchen and the windows, plus the Yama Deepam outside. Follow your family's custom. ### How do I pray to Kubera? Keep a picture of Kubera beside Lakshmi, offer roli, rice, flowers and sweets, and chant one of the Kubera mantras above with attention. Some families place their account books, cash box or a Kubera yantra before him. ### Which mantra is best for Dhanteras? There's no single best one. Many people chant a Dhanvantari mantra for health and a Kubera or Lakshmi mantra for the home. Choose one you can say clearly and with feeling. ### Can I chant these mantras without a full puja? Yes. If you don't have time for a puja, light one lamp, sit quietly for a few minutes, and chant or listen to a mantra. That is a complete offering in itself. ## A last thought Dhanteras reminds us that wealth comes in more than one form: good health, a peaceful home, and enough to share. The tradition says these are blessings to receive with gratitude, and to keep with care. As you light your lamps this year, you might pause for a moment at each one and name one thing you're thankful for. Then let a gentle chant carry you into the five days of light. ## Related mantras - [Dhanavantri Mantra](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/dhanavantri/dhanavantri-mantra/) - [Dhanavantri Japa Mantra](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/dhanavantri/dhanavantri-japa-mantra/) - [Kubera Diwali Mantra](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/kubera/kubera-diwali-mantra/) - [Kubera Dhanalakshmi Mantra](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/kubera/kubera-dhanalakshmi-mantra/) - [Kubera Beeja Mantra](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/kubera/kubera-beeja-mantra/) - [Lakshmi Gayatri Mantra](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/lakshmi/lakshmi-gayatri-mantra/) - [Lakshmi Beeja Mantra](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/lakshmi/lakshmi-beeja-mantra/) - [Om Shree Ganeshaya Namah Mantra](https://mahakatha.com/mantras/ganesha/om-shree-ganeshaya/) --- Source: https://mahakatha.com/blog/dhanteras-puja-at-home/ — Mahakatha, https://mahakatha.com