II Shree Ganeshaya Namah II
Before beginning the narration of this story I offer my humble obeisance to Lord Ganesha the son of Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati. I seek the blessings of Goddess Sharada who is the fountain head of all knowledge; both material and spiritual.
II Shri Shani Mahatmya II
The encounter with Lord Shanidev
Once upon a time in the kingdom of Malwa, in the capital city of Ujjain ruled a king by the name of Vikramaditya. Vikram was a righteous and heroic king, loved and respected by all the citizens of his country.
Many learned Pundits would frequent the court as they were greatly respected by the King. They would recite scriptures and advise the king on matters of religion, spirituality and Vedic rituals. One day the king posed a question to the Pundits. “Tell me O’ learned ones! Who is the greatest of all the rulers of the planets? What are their names and what are their temperaments? What kind of boons do they bestow and what kind of trials and tribulations does their coming forebode?” The Pundits promptly referred to the Holy Scriptures and began searching for the answers.
One Pundit replied, “The greatest of them all the planetary Lords is the Sun, Lord Suryanarayan. You can see him every day in the sky as the day begins with him. He bestows good health to the entire planet”
The second Pundit answered, “The scriptures say that the Lord of the Moon, Lord Soma. He is a gardener by caste and hence is the one who looks after the vegetation on this planet. Being cool in temperament he doesn’t trouble anyone. An eternal servant of Lord Mahadev, he forever resides on his head and hence is the greatest”
“Lord Mangal, the Lord of the planet Mars, is the greatest of the planets”, said the third Pundit. “A goldsmith by caste, he is extremely cruel but can be appeased when prayers and sacrifices are offered to him. But beware O’ King. He is displeased when prayers are offered in arrogance. He would destroy ones wealth, then family and finally a painful death”
Another Pundit replied, “It is Lord Budha, the Lord of the planet Mercury is the greatest of them all. He is a trader by caste and bestows wealth when he is pleased. He is good natured and does not harass anyone. Hence O’ King, know him to be the greatest”
A fifth Pundit expounded, “Lord Bruhaspati, the master of the planet Jupiter is the greatest of all the planets. Out of the four castes, Lord Bruhaspati is a Brahmin. Therefore know him to be the greatest. He is the spiritual preceptor of the Gods and is not angered by anyone. As a true realized soul, he is at peace with all and wishes only the best for everyone”.
“Lord Bhargava, the ruler of the planet Venus, is the preceptor of the demons. He created the Sanjivani Mantra; a mystical chant that would bring back the dead. Highly regarded among the Gods and Demons, know him to be the greatest”, said the sixth Pundit.
“Who else rules the planetary system? What are they like? Please tell us more”, said Vikram.
“Rahu and Ketu are two of the cruelest planets. They donot show mercy on anyone. But they show some leniencies if prayed to and sacrifices are offered to them. Rahu plagues the Moon and Ketu troubles the Sun. One can see the Eclipses as a sign of this”
“Lord Shanidev is the greatest of all the nine planets. He is angered very easily. He loves discipline and demands humility from one and all. When he is pleased, he can bestow all that is good and when angered he can cause complete ruin. He causes anxiety and vexes the mind. He causes bodily suffering but the glory that he bestows lasts an eternity. Such is the nature of Lord Shanidev”, said the ninth Pundit. “He is paralyzed in one leg but is extremely handsome and is an oil-presser by caste. He rules the planet Saturn and worships eternally Lord Kalbhairav, an angry incarnation of Lord Shiva. Know this of him also, my King”
“Listen O’ King while I narrate the story of the birth of Lord Shanidev”
“He is the son of Lord Suryanarayan and the elder brother of Lord Yamaraj, the god of death. When Lord Shanidev was born, he looked upon his father and at that very instant, his fathers’ body was plagued by pores. His fathers’ charioteer was paralyzed. When Lord Shanidev looked away, health was restored to them”
On hearing this, King Vikramaditya laughed and said, “Of what use is a son whose birth brings about suffering for his father. Such a person is an enemy and not a son”
The entire court roared with laughter.
At that very moment, Lord Shanidev was traveling above the city of Ujjain in his chariot. The all knowing lord, descended into the court of Vikram. Everyone shuddered at his majestic and overpowering presence. Lord Vikram leapt up from his throne and offered his obeisance to the lord. Lord Shanidev rejected him and thundered in his majestic voice, “You arrogance would be your downfall Vikram. You are a Virgo and now is the time when I enter your sign. Dare not make fun of others when you are placed by the divine hand in a position of greatness. It is this same hand that can change the world in an instant”
King Vikramaditya tried in vain to plead with the Lord, but the Lord mounted his chariot and rode away into the heavens leaving the great king in anxiety for his own future and the future of Malwa.
After Shri Shanidev had ridden of into the sky on his divine chariot, King Vikramaditya was in a very pensive mood. He thought over and over of what Shri Shanidev would do to cause him suffering. He regretted having made fun of ruler of Saturn. He dismissed the court and retired to his chambers.
Being a learned king, he came to the conclusion that all of us have to suffer according to our own actions in our past lives. That which is divine writing, would have to occur. Having thought in this manner, he went to sleep.
The journey to Tamalinda
A month had passed since that unfortunate incident in the court. King Vikramaditya thought of it often. The planet Saturn would now enter into the sign of Virgo and that too in the twelfth position. In the astrological charts, the twelfth position indicates suffering and loss. Shri Shanidev would rule over this aspect of his life for the next seven and a half years, the ‘sade-sati’.
His priests and scholars advised him to perform elaborate sacrifices and offerings and offer prayers as a form of appeasement to the Lord. Vikram being a logical man knew that no matter what sacrifices he would offer, and no matter what kind of rituals he would perform, he would still suffer as it was divine will that he should. He dismissed his advisors and sank into a pensive mood again.
Some days later, a horse trader came to Ujjain to sell horses. He had some of the best horses that anyone had ever seen. Being a keen judge of horses, Vikram also visited the market with his entourage.
The horse trader brought forth a steed claiming it to be one of the best. A solder mounted the steed and it rode extremely well. Vikram was pleased. He then brought forth another magnificent horse that pleased Vikram even more.
“What is the price of this magnificent creature?”
“A horse fit for only a king, My Lord. I urge you, my Lord, to ride on this magnificent beast and decide afterwards if the price I quote is appropriate”, said the horse trader.
Vikram mounted the horse and rode around the market place. The steed was indeed magnificent. Vikram decided to purchase it.
When he struck the steed with his whip, the beast rode of on the road that lead out of Ujjain and eventually let him out of Malwa. It ran with such speed that Vikram decided against dismounting. They crossed many rivers and thick jungles and even deserts and eventually came to an opening in a forest where the river flowed. The horse stopped for a drink of water and Vikram jumped off.
He did not know how many miles they had ridden. Was he still in Malwa? What land was he in? What kind of horse was this? So many thoughts. He needed a drink of water. As soon as Vikram bent down to have a drink, the river disappeared and so did the forest and also the horse. He was in some strange dry wilderness and he had no hint of what country this was.
“This must be the doing of Shri Shanidev”
He searched for a road that would lead to some city. He found the road but it would soon be night. He would not be able to see and as the territory was unknown to him, he decided against traveling at night.
He waited until dawn.
At the first break of dawn, King Vikramaditya walked all the way down the strange road to reach a city named Tamalinda.
He stopped in front of a traders’ shop. His business began picking up and he profited more than double what he did everyday. He noticed that Vikram had been standing near his shop the whole time and concluded that his auspicious presence was favorable for business.
Thus, Vikram became the guest of the trader for the day. He had some of the best delicacies made up for Vikram to feast on and enquired about Vikram and his country. Vikram replied, “I come from a country far away from this place and will be here only for some time”
Back at Ujjain, that same morning, the horse trader, who was in reality Shri Shanidev, demanded the money for his horse that had disappeared with the King of Malwa. The Chief Minister paid him for the horse and asked him to leave, even as the search for Vikramaditya was in full swing.
The trader in Tamalinda had a daughter named Alolika, an exquisitely beautiful and charming girl who was of marriageable age. The trader had brought many suitors for her but she reused to marry anyone of them. He thought that she might find a suitable groom for herself in Vikram and spoke of him.
“My dearest daughter! I have brought you a fitting groom. He has all the thirty two characteristics on would look for in a husband”
“I shall decide to marry him only after I have tested him. His speech would betray his faults”, she explained.
Having agreed to his daughters wish, the trader advised Vikram to take rest in the art gallery where arrangements had been made for him to sleep.
Having offered his prayers to the Gods in the heavens, Vikram proceed towards the art gallery. Beautiful paintings adorned the walls. “What exquisite art! Who could have painted anything so life like?” Vikram went to sleep on the bed laid out for him. The same thoughts of Shri Shanidev in his court, the mysterious horse and his journey to Tamalinda kept going in his mind and he could not go to sleep. He just lay there and closed his eyes, deep in thought.
At sometime during the night, Alolika entered the art gallery. She was beautifully dressed and adorned beautiful jewels and exotic fragrances. The light of the lamp that she held in her hands heightened the beauty of her face and especially her eyes.
She saw Vikram lying with his eyes closed and assumed that he was asleep. She sprinkled some scented water on his face to try and wake him up. Vikram still lay there still. Having waited there for sometime, she finally removed her jewels and lay down beside him and went to sleep.
Vikram opened his eyes and saw her asleep besides him. “What kind of a strange land is this? Why has Shri Shanidev decided to bring me here?”
At that moment, a swan in one of the paintings came to life and leapt out from the painting. Vikram could not believe his eyes and then realization dawned upon him. When anything that is utterly impossible begins to happen it is the will of the Lords of the planets. In the case of King Vikramaditya it would be caused by Shri Shanidev. The swan swallowed Alolikas’ necklace which she had placed by her bedside before going to sleep.
Vikram decided against doing anything and went back to sleep.
The missing necklace and the punishment
Alolika woke up at dawn after an uneventful night. She looked at Vikram and thought to herself,
“What kind of husband has my father chosen for me? How could I marry someone who is unaffected by the presence of a beautiful woman all alone in his presence?”
She decided to speak to her father of him and started adorning her jewels again but noticed that he pearl necklace was missing.
“How dare he steal my necklace and lie there pretending to be asleep?’
Just then, Vikram had woken up.
He tried to explain that he had not taken the necklace but decided against telling her about the swan in the painting that had come alive and swallowed her necklace. Who would believe such a story?
Alolika ran to her father and narrated what had happened. The trader summoned Vikram and threatened to have him beaten up if he didn’t return the necklace.
“This is how you repay me for feeding you and providing you shelter? This is the gratitude I receive in return for my kindness to a stranger? Return my daughters’ necklace and be on your way or be prepared to face the consequences “
How could Vikram tell the truth? Who would believe him? In doing so, not only would he be labeled a thief but also a liar. No! He could not risk that. He tried explaining that he was not responsible for the missing necklace.
The trader summoned his servants and had Vikram beaten up but he would not tell where he had hidden the necklace. The trader decided to approach the king.
The kingdom to Tamalinda was ruled by a king named by Chandrasen. On listening to the events as narrated by the trader, the king ordered Vikram to be bound and be presented before him in court.
“Return the necklace and I shall spare your life? Can any necklace of any value be more precious than ones life?” said Chandrasen.
“How can I return something that I have not taken? O great king, I am no thief. But even if you consider me to be one, please forgive me for any crime that you feel I have committed”.
The king was infuriated and ordered his guards to break both of his hands and legs and to throw him outside the city. “No one shall give him food or water and anyone doing so will be dealt with severely”.
His orders were carried out promptly and Vikram was thrown out of the city, his hand and legs broken. In horrific pain he prayed to Lord Shanidev to have mercy on him as he lay there on the garbage heap for two years where he had been thrown.
The Lord shows mercy
Vikramaditya lay there in the garbage heap and waited and prayed for Lord Shanidev to show mercy. Almost a month had passed since he lay in the garbage heap.
“How long must I suffer my Lord? Please show some mercy on your servant!”
Lord Shanidev decided to allow Vikram to have food and water. Hence, the king passed the order that Vikram was to be given food and water. The citizens of Tamalinda had been waiting for a chance to give some food and water to Vikram, for being kind souls they could not bear to see his suffering.
He began to get food and water but the pain of having all four limbs broken was too much to bear even for a great king like Vikramaditya and he diligently prayed for mercy to Lord Shanidev.
The daughter-in-law of one of the oil pressers from Tamalinda was returning from her parents’ home in Ujjain. She happened to be on the outskirts of Tamalinda, when she happened to see a man lying on top of a garbage heap in agony. She got down from her carriage and approached him. She recognized him at once. It was King Vikramaditya. She knelt before him and bowed as a loyal subject would and introduced herself.
Vikram was pleased to see her. “How is the kingdom? Are my subjects hearty and hale?”
“All is well in Malwa my lord. But pray! Tell me what has happened to you and what circumstances are these that have brought you so much suffering? Who has done this to the king of Malwa?”
Vikram narrated all the events that had taken place in the court to what had happened in the art gallery to the punishment that was met out to him. The girl praised the king and glorified the Lord who was the supreme master over all men.
She decided to take Vikram home to her in-laws and she had Vikram put on the carriage with her.
“What possessed you to bring such an inauspicious being into our home?”,said her father-in-law. The girl narrated the entire incident to him. He was still worried. King Chandrasen had ordered that Vikram be given food and water but was not to be shown mercy of any other kind. The oil-presser decided to meet the king and ask his permission to keep Vikram at home.
“You may take him. How merciful are the citizens of my kingdom!”, bellowed Chandrasen when he was asked permission to take Vikram home and care for him.
The oil-presser was extremely pleased and returned home to tell his family and Vikram the good news.
“But you must work for me and sit on my bullock while it presses oil. In exchange for your work, I shall shelter you and clothe and feed you”, said the oil-presser.
Vikram graciously accepted the offer and stayed with the oil-pressers for the next five and a half years.
Vikram sings for the princess
Seven and a half years had passed since Vikram had been pressing oil. It was one evening that he decided to sing some classical notations. The one he began to sing was titled ‘Deep Raga’ or the song of light. No sooner did he start singing that all the lights in the city automatically lit up, for such was the power of his singing.
At that time, the beautiful daughter of Chandrasen, Padmasena, was sitting on the terrace of her palace with some friends. She was known to appreciate fine music. It was evening and she notice that all the lights and lanterns in the city were brightly lit.
“It is not Diwali, the festival of lights. Nor is there a grand marriage in the city. Why is the city so filled with lights?” she enquired from her friends.
After learning that it was someone’s singing that had set so many lanterns and lamps aflame, she wanted to meet the singer. She insisted that he be brought before her so that she may hear him from up close.
After having been given the promise that the king would not punish them for having carrying out the princesses instructions, her friends brought Vikram before the princess.
At her behest, Vikram sang more melodiously. Even king Chandrasen, who had been asleep in his palace, awoke when he heard such beautiful notes. He learnt that the princess had heard someone sing well and had ordered the person to perform for her in her palace. Having thought that there would be no harm, he went back to sleep while Vikram sang through the night.
The next morning, as Vikram sat on the palace terrace, he wondered about all that had happened to him these past years. Seven and a half years had elapsed. When would Shri Shanidev show him mercy? Would he ever get back to rule Malwa?
Just as these thoughts entered his mind, Lord Shanidev appeared before him. Vikram lay on the ground and rolled about to offer his obeisance to the Lord, for he had no limbs.
The Lord restores Vikram his glory
“Yes Vikram! Seven and a half years are over and I am pleased with how you have taken in good stride all that has happened to you. I am glad that you have realized that all is decided by your actions in the past birth and no man has absolute power over his destiny. Ask for what your heat desires, for I am ready to grant your wish”, said Lord Shanidev.
“Please donot make anyone suffer the way I have suffered. I might have survived, but I daresay that others may not. This is the only boon I ask from you My Lord”, replied Vikram humbly.
“I am very pleased Vikram. Despite the condition that you are in, you donot ask neither for your limbs to be restored nor for all the riches and wealth in the world. Nor do you ask for your kingdom to be returned to you. All that you ask is that others do not suffer. You are truly a great king. Ask Vikram! Ask for what you desire and I shall give it to you!”
“That is all that I truly desire My Lord. Nothing more. If you are pleased with me, please grant your servant this wish”, said Vikram again.
“O Vikram! Truly great is a man who understands the suffering of others. However, I must tell you of others who have suffered more than you. Then you would be in a position to decide if you have suffered more than them and ask for an appropriate boon”
Lord Shanidev Narrates
“The Lord of the planet Jupiter is Bruhaspati. Being the spiritual preceptor of all the Gods, He is my spiritual master as well. But, despite the master-disciple relation between us, I have always had to perform my duty and I approached him requesting him to allow me to begin his ‘Sade-Sati’.
He was not pleased. He asked me not to come at all. I agreed to come only for five years and let two and a half years go. But he did not agree. I pleaded with him saying that if he did not allow me to do my duty, everyone would being to take me for granted saying that I had shown leniency to my Guru. That would have been totally unacceptable.
We eventually settled on half a day.
Gurudev thought to himself that if he engaged in my religious duties for the whole of the day, what harm could come to him. This was the opportunity that I had been waiting for. Gurudev had come to earth to bathe in the holy river Ganga and perform some prayers. He had just completed his bath when I disguised myself as a fakir and offered him two sweet-melons. He gladly accepted them and even paid me something for them. He tied the melons in a cloth and went on his way.
Meanwhile, the prince and the chief minister of that kingdom had gone hunting in the forest and were late getting back. It was almost evening and it would soon be time for dinner. The king had sent out his guards to search for them. Two of the guards had come out of the city where they saw Gurudev carrying something tied in a cloth. As they approached him, they saw blood flowing from the cloth. They snatched the melons away from him and opened it up. It contained not two sweet-melons, but the severed heads of the price and the chief minister.
They dragged Gurudev to the court and produced the severed heads in front of the king. The king was struck with grief and then in a fit of rage ordered that the monster that had killed these two be hanged. Gurudev was shaking with fear. He was not responsible for killing anyone. How was he to get out of this?
He was taken out of the city to the place where the executions were carried out. There he promised a bribe of one hundred thousand coins to the executioner pleading with him to hang him only after sunset, when the day would end. The man agreed. At sunset, the prince and the chief minister returned and the king was overjoyed. He ordered his guards to stop the execution and so they did.
The king was ashamed of how hastily he had behaved and begged forgiveness from Gurudev. Gurudev forgave him and explained that the king was not to blame but that it was all my doing.
When I met him, I fell at his feet and asked forgiveness for any suffering that I had caused him. A Guru is closest to you and more merciful than God himself. He asked one thing of me; that I donot trouble anyone ever again. I explained to him that one had to suffer according to ones actions in the past births. However, I did promise that if one did not become puffed up about anything, then they had nothing to worry about.
When I had met Lord Shiva and told him that I would come to meet him, the Lord asked me to let him know when I would be arriving. As instructed, I let him know the time that he could expect me. The Lord hid in the ‘Kailasa Mountains’ when I went and I could not see him. The next day, the Lord said that He had outwitted me and hid in the mountains and that I was unable to do any harm to him. I replied that the Lord of the three worlds, The Master over everyone and everything had hidden in the mountains so that I could not see him, would speak volumes of my prowess. The Lord laughed and was pleased with my witty answer. He blessed me and I went on my way.
I shall tell you of how Ravan suffered downfall because of my unfavorable presence in his horoscope. All the Gods, including myself, had been held captive by Ravan and he had placed us face down on the steps leading to his throne and would step on us. Narad Muni, the seer of the Gods, came to me and said that I was indeed powerless against someone like Ravan. I told him that if he could arrange it so that I would be able to look at Ravan, the tables would soon turn. He went to Ravan and praised and said great things about him. When Ravan was puffed up even more in arrogance, Narad Muni suggested that since all the Gods would sleep with their face turned away from Ravan, it would be more advisable to lay us face up and stomp our chests while climbing the stairs. Ravan agreed wholeheartedly and as soon as I laid my sight on him his descent from his glorious position began.
I have met out punishment and suffering to all without mercy. Lord Ramachandra, Mother Sita, Ravan, King Harishchandra, Queen Damayanti, Lord Shri Krishna, Lord Chandra, the Pandavas, the Kauravas and many more. So you see Vikram; you have not suffered the most and you aren’t the only one who has suffered”
Glory returns to King Vikramaditya
“Ask what you desire Vikram and I shall grant your desire”
“I desire what I asked for before My Lord; only that no one suffers as I have”
“Glories to you Vikramaditya! You are truly a remarkable person” The Lord then restored his limbs and made him more magnificent than before.
The Lord said, “Anyone who listens to this story of yours with faith, humility and attention would be assured my protection. I would watch over him as a mother over a child. So is my assurance to you Vikramaditya”
Having said this, the Lord then disappeared.
Just at that very instant, Chandrasen walked on to the terrace of the palace and saw Vikramaditya standing there glowing like the Sun. The king greeted him knowing him only to be the singer who had performed for his daughter the night before. Vikramaditya said that he was the thief that the king had throw outside the capital on the garbage heap. The asked for the trader to be summoned and rushed to the art gallery where the swan had swallowed the pearl necklace.
Sure enough; the swan began to produce the necklace form its beak, one pearl at a time. Everyone was dumbfounded. Vikramaditya explained everything to them. He then introduced himself as Emperor Vikramaditya, the ruler of Malwa.
After great celebrations in Tamalinda where Vikramaditya wed the princess and Alolika and gave much in charity, he returned to Ujjain where his citizens awaited him for seven and a half years.
On an auspicious day, he sat on his throne and performed many sacrifices to appease all the Gods and rulers of all the planets. He continued to rule justly and righteously
Just as Lord Shanidev showed mercy on Vikramaditya, we pray that he bestows the same mercy on all who read or listen to this story every Saturday during their ‘Sade-Sati’.
Thus concludes the Shri Shani Mahatmya offered at the feet of Lord Shri Shanidev.
