आकुलं च जगद्दृष्ट्वा पौरजानपदादिकम् । ब्रुवंति सर्वतो लोकाः क्षय एष समागतः
Seeing the world in turmoil—city dwellers and country folk alike—people everywhere were saying, 'This is the end that has come.'
देशाः सनगरा ग्रामा भयभीताः समंततः । पप्रच्छ प्रयतो राजा वसिष्ठप्रमुखान्द्विजान्
Lands with their cities and villages were seized by fear on all sides; the devoted king questioned the foremost Brāhmaṇas, led by Vasiṣṭha.
संविधानं किमत्रास्ति ब्रूत मां हि द्विजोत्तमाः
He asked, 'What remedy is there in this situation? Tell me, O best of Brāhmaṇas.'
वसिष्ठ उवाच- प्राजापत्यमृक्षमिदं तस्मिन्भिन्ने कुतः प्रजाः । अयं योगोह्यसाध्यस्तु ब्रह्मशक्रादिभिस्तथा
Vasiṣṭha said: 'This is the constellation of Prajāpati; if it is broken, how can there be creatures? This conjunction cannot be overcome even by Brahmā, Indra, and others.'
इति संचिंत्य मनसा साहसं परमं महत् । समादाय धनुर्दिव्यं दिव्यायुधसमन्वितम्
Thinking thus in his mind, he undertook a most extraordinary deed: taking up his divine bow, equipped with celestial weapons.
रथमारुह्य वेगेन गतो नक्षत्रमंडलम् । सपादं योजनं लक्षं सूर्यस्योपरि संस्थितम्
Mounting his chariot with speed, he went to the region of the stars, a hundred thousand yojanas and a quarter above the sun.
रोहिणीपृष्ठमास्थाय राजा दशरथः पुरा । रथे तु कांचने दिव्ये मणिरत्नविभूषिते
Long ago, King Daśaratha, stationed on the back of Rohiṇī, in a divine golden chariot adorned with jewels and gems,
हंसवर्णहयैर्युक्ते महाकेतुसमुच्छ्रये । दीप्यमानो महारत्नैः किरीटमुकुटोज्ज्वलः
Yoked with horses of swan-like color, with a great banner raised high, shining with great jewels, his crown and diadem radiant,
बभ्राज स तदाकाशे द्वितीय इव भास्करः । आकर्णपूर्णा चापे तु संहारास्त्रं न्ययोजयत्
He shone there in the sky like a second sun; drawing his bow to the ear, he fitted the missile of destruction.
संहारास्त्रं शनिर्दृष्ट्वा सुरासुरभयंकरम् । हसित्वा तद्भयात्सौरिरिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Seeing the missile of destruction, terrifying to gods and demons, Śani laughed and, out of fear, spoke these words.
शनिरुवाच - पौरुषं तव राजेंद्र परं रिपुभयंकरम् । देवासुरमनुष्याश्च सिद्धविद्याधरोरगाः
Śani said: O king, your valor is supreme and terrifying to your enemies; gods, asuras, humans, siddhas, vidyādharas, and serpents—
मया विलोकिता राजन्भस्मसाच्च भवंतिते । तुष्टोऽहं तव राजेंद्र तपसा पौरुषेण च । वरं ब्रूहि प्रदास्यामि मनसा यत्किमिच्छसि
have all been seen by me, O king, and have been reduced to ashes; I am pleased with your austerity and courage, O king. Ask for a boon—I shall grant whatever you desire in your heart.
दशरथ उवाच- रोहिणीं भेदयित्वा तु न गंतव्यं कदाचन । सरितः सागरा यावत्यावच्चंद्रार्कमेदिनी
Daśaratha said: Never should you cross Rohiṇī; as long as there are rivers, oceans, the moon, the sun, and the earth—
याचितं तु मया सौरे नान्यमिच्छामि ते वरम् । एवमस्तु शनिः प्राह वरं दत्त्वा तु शाश्वतम्
This is the boon I ask of you, O Sauri; I desire no other from you. 'So be it,' said Śani, granting the everlasting boon.
पुनरेवाब्रवीत्तुष्टो वरं वरय सुव्रत । प्रार्थयामास हृष्टात्मा वरमन्यं शनेस्तदा
Again, being pleased, he said: 'Choose another boon, O steadfast one.' Then, with a joyful heart, Daśaratha requested another boon from Śani.
न भेत्तव्यं हि शकटं त्वया भास्करनंदन । द्वादशाब्दं तु दुर्भिक्षं न कर्तव्यं कदाचन
'You must not break the Śakaṭa constellation, O son of Bhāskara; and never should there be a twelve-year famine.'
शनिरुवाच- द्वादशाब्दं तु दुर्भिक्षं न कदाचिद्भविष्यति । कीर्तिरेषा त्वदीया च त्रैलोक्ये विचरिष्यति
Śani said: 'There will never be a twelve-year famine; and your fame will spread throughout the three worlds.'
वरद्वयं तु संप्राप्य हृष्टरोमा च पार्थिवः । रथोपरि धनुर्मुक्त्वा भूत्वा चैव कृताञ्जलि
Having received the two boons, the king, his hair standing on end, released his bow atop the chariot and, with joined palms—
ध्यात्वा सरस्वतीं देवीं गणनाथं विनायकम् । राजा दशरथः स्तोत्रं सौरेरिदमथाब्रवीत्
meditated on the goddess Sarasvatī and on Gaṇanātha Vināyaka; then King Daśaratha spoke this hymn to Śani.
दशरथ उवाच- नमः कृष्णाय नीलाय शितिकंठनिभाय च । नमः कालाग्निरूपाय कृतांताय च वै नमः
Daśaratha said: Salutations to the dark one, the blue one, resembling the blue-throated; salutations to the form of the fire of time, and to the lord of death.
नमो निर्मांसदेहाय दीर्घश्मश्रुजटाय च । नमो विशालनेत्राय शुष्कोदरभयाकृते
Salutations to the fleshless-bodied, to the one with long beard and matted hair; salutations to the wide-eyed, to the one whose emaciated belly inspires fear.
नमः पुष्कलगात्राय स्थूलरोम्णेऽथ वै नमः । नमो दीर्घाय शुष्काय कालदंष्ट्र नमोस्तु ते
Salutations to the one with robust limbs, to the one with thick hair; salutations to the tall, the dry one, to you with the fangs of time.
नमस्ते कोटराक्षाय दुर्निरीक्ष्याय वै नमः । नमो घोराय रौद्राय भीषणाय कपालिने
Salutations to you with hollow eyes, to the one difficult to behold; salutations to the fierce, the terrible, the frightening, the skull-bearer.
नमस्ते सर्वभक्षाय वलीमुख नमोस्तु ते । सूर्यपुत्र नमस्तेस्तु भास्करे भयदाय च
Salutations to you, devourer of all, O wrinkled-faced one; salutations to you, son of the Sun, giver of fear.
अधोदृष्टे नमस्तेस्तु संवर्तक नमोस्तु ते । नमो मंदगते तुभ्यं निस्त्रिंशाय नमोस्तु ते
Salutations to you who look downward, to the destroyer; salutations to you who move slowly, to you who bear the sword.
तपसा दग्धदेहाय नित्यं योगरताय च । नमो नित्यं क्षुधार्ताय अतृप्ताय च वै नमः
Salutations to you whose body is burned by austerity, who is always devoted to yoga; salutations always to you who are ever hungry, never satisfied.
ज्ञानचक्षुर्नमस्तेस्तु कश्यपात्मजसूनवे । तुष्टो ददासि वै राज्यं रुष्टो हरसि तत्क्षणात्
Salutations to you, whose eye is knowledge, descendant of Kaśyapa; pleased, you grant kingdoms, angered, you take them away in an instant.
देवासुरमनुष्याश्च सिद्धविद्याधरोरगाः । त्वया विलोकिताः सर्वे नाशं यांति समूलतः
Gods, asuras, humans, siddhas, vidyādharas, and serpents—all who are seen by you are utterly destroyed, root and all.
प्रसादं कुरु मे देव वरार्होऽहमुपागतः । एवं स्तुतस्तदा सौरिर्ग्रहराजो महाबलः
Grant me your favor, O god; I am worthy and have come to you. Thus praised, at that time, Sauri, the mighty lord of the planets,
अब्रवीच्च पुनर्वाक्यं हृष्टरोमा तु भास्करिः । तुष्टोऽहं तव राजेंद्र स्तवेनानेन सुव्रत । वरं ब्रूहि प्रदास्यामि स्वेच्छया रघुनंदन
spoke again these words, his hair standing on end, the radiant Sun: 'I am pleased with you, O king, because of this hymn, O steadfast one. Ask for a boon; I will grant it as you wish, O descendant of Raghu.'