यश्चैतच्छ्रणुयात्कल्पं ग्रहाणां पठतेऽपि वा
And whoever listens to this account of the planets, or even recites it—
शनैश्चरं राहुकेतू लोहपात्रेषु विन्यसेत्
Should place Saturn, Rāhu, and Ketu in vessels of iron.
सूर्यं विधुं कुज बुधौ गुरुशुक्रसौरीन्हस्तादिकर्क्षसहितानुदितक्रमेण
The Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, along with the ascending and descending nodes, in the order of their rising—
इति श्रीभविष्ये महापुराण उत्तरपर्वणि श्रीकृष्णयुधिष्ठिरसंवादे ग्रहनक्षत्रव्रतवर्णनं नाम त्रयोदशोत्तरशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Bhavishya Mahāpurāṇa, in the Uttaraparvan, in the dialogue between Śrī Krishna and Yudhishthira, this is the one hundred thirteenth chapter, named 'Description of the Vow Relating to Planets and Stars.'
शनैश्चरव्रतवर्णनम् पुरा त्रेतायुगे पार्थ नावर्षत्पाकशासनः
Description of the vow for Saturn—
ततो राष्ट्रं क्षुधाविष्टं बभूवातीव दारुणम्
Then, O Pārtha, in the Tretā age, the lord of crops did not send rain.
तस्मिन्घोराकुले काले सपत्नीकः सबालकः
As a result, the land, afflicted by hunger, became exceedingly dreadful.
मार्गेऽथ गच्छता तेन कौशिकेन महर्षिणा
At that terrible and tumultuous time, a sage of the Kauśika lineage, with his wife and child,
तस्मिन्काले विशेषेण क्षीणेन्नौषधि संचये
While traveling on the road, that Kauśika sage—
सोऽपि बालो रुदन्दीनो दिशो वीक्ष्य स्थितः पथि
At that time, especially, as the store of medicinal herbs was depleted—
कूपे जलं पपौ नित्यं तत्रैवाश्रममंडले
That child, too, weeping and miserable, stood on the path, looking in all directions.
अथाजगाम भगवान्नारदो वेदपारगः
He drank water daily from a well there, within the hermitage grounds.
दयया तस्य संस्कारं चक्रे मौंज्यादिबंधनम् ददौ च वैष्णवं मंत्रं द्वादशाक्षरमित्युत
Then the venerable Nārada, master of the Vedas, arrived.
वेदाभ्यासरतस्यास्य विष्णुध्यानपरस्य च 4.114.
Out of compassion, he performed the boy’s initiation, binding him with a sacred grass girdle, and gave him the twelve-syllable Vaiṣṇava mantra.
वैनतेयसमारूढो नीलोत्पलदलच्छविः
Mounted upon Garuda, his complexion was like the petal of a blue lotus.
स उवाच तदा तुष्टो वरं ब्रूहि यमि च्छसि नारदेनाप्यनुज्ञातो ज्ञानविद्यामयाचत
Then, being pleased, he said, 'Ask for a boon, whatever you desire.' Permitted by Narada, he requested knowledge and learning.
दत्त्वा ज्ञानं सोपदेशं योगाभ्यासं च निर्मलम्
Having given pure knowledge with instruction, and the practice of yoga,
ततो राजन्महाज्ञानी महर्षिः स शिशुस्तदा
Then, O King, that great sage, though a child, became possessed of great wisdom.
ग्रहेणाग्रहभूतेन बालरूपोऽपि दुःखित.
Though in the form of a child, he was afflicted by a planet, the foremost among malefics.
ब्राह्मण्यं भवता दत्तं दैवान्मम द्विजोत्तम
O best of twice-born, by divine will, you have been granted Brahminhood by me.
शनैश्चरेण क्रूरेण ग्रहेण त्वं हि पीडितः
You are tormented by Shani, the cruel planet.
तेनैतत्ते फलं प्राप्तं सैषः सौरिः शनैश्चरः
Because of this, you have obtained this result; this is Shani, the son of Surya.
एवमुक्तः शिशुः क्रोधात्प्रजज्वालेव पावकः पतमानो गिरेः शृंगाद्भग्नः खंजो बभूव ह
Thus addressed, the child, blazing with anger like fire, fell from the mountain peak and became broken and lame.
धरण्यां पतितं दृष्ट्वा भास्करात्मजमातुरम् 4.114.
Seeing the son of the Sun fallen to the earth, his mother—
हर्षाद्देवानथाहूय दर्शयामास तं शनिम्
Out of joy, she summoned the gods and showed them Shani.
अथ देवास्तथा प्राप्ता ब्रह्मरुद्रेन्द्रपावकाः
Then the gods arrived—Brahma, Rudra, Indra, and Agni.
स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु महाभाग पिप्पलाद महामुने अन्वर्थयुक्तं विप्रेन्द्र जीवितं पिप्लादनात्
Blessings to you, O greatly fortunate Pippalada, great sage; O foremost of Brahmins, your life is fittingly named from the pippala tree.
भगवन्पिप्पलान्यत्त्वा जीवितोऽसि यतो मुने
O venerable one, because of the pippala trees, you have been given life, O sage.
ये च त्वां पूजयिष्यंति स्नात्वा पुष्पैर्महाऋषिम्
Those who worship you, O great sage, after bathing and with flowers,
इहाश्रमे समभ्येत्य रूपेस्मिन्भक्तिभाविताः
Coming here to the hermitage, with devotion in this very form,