Original text
नमः कृष्णाय नीलाय शितिकण्ठ निभाय च । नमः कालाग्निरूपाय कृतान्ताय च वै नमः ॥1॥ नमो निर्मांस देहाय दीर्घश्मश्रुजटाय च । नमो विशालनेत्राय शुष्कोदर भयाकृते ॥2॥ नमः पुष्कलगात्राय स्थूलरोम्णेऽथ वै नमः । नमो दीर्घाय शुष्काय कालदंष्ट्र नमोऽस्तु ते ॥3॥ नमस्ते कोटराक्षाय दुर्नरीक्ष्याय वै नमः । नमो घोराय रौद्राय भीषणाय कपालिने ॥4॥ नमस्ते सर्वभक्षाय बलीमुख नमोऽस्तु ते । सूर्यपुत्र नमस्तेऽस्तु भास्करेऽभयदाय च ॥5॥ अधोदृष्टेः नमस्तेऽस्तु संवर्तक नमोऽस्तु ते । नमो मन्दगते तुभ्यं निस्त्रिंशाय नमोऽस्तुते ॥6॥ तपसा दग्ध-देहाय नित्यं योगरताय च । नमो नित्यं क्षुधार्ताय अतृप्ताय च वै नमः ॥7॥ ज्ञानचक्षुर्नमस्तेऽस्तु कश्यपात्मज-सूनवे । तुष्टो ददासि वै राज्यं रुष्टो हरसि तत्क्षणात् ॥8॥ देवासुरमनुष्याश्च सिद्ध-विद्याधरोरगाः । त्वया विलोकिताः सर्वे नाशं यान्ति समूलतः ॥9॥ प्रसाद कुरु मे सौरे ! वारदो भव भास्करे । एवं स्तुतस्तदा सौरिर्ग्रहराजो महाबलः ॥10॥ दशरथ उवाच प्रसन्नो यदि मे सौरे ! वरं देहि ममेप्सितम् । अद्य प्रभृति-पिंगाक्ष ! पीडा देया न कस्यचित् ॥
Transliteration
Namah krishnaya nilaya shitikantha nibhaya cha | Namah kalagnirupaya kritantaya cha vai namah ||1|| Namo nirmansa dehaya dirghashmashrujataya cha | Namo vishalanetraya shushkodara bhayakrite ||2|| Namah pushkalagatraya sthularomnetha vai namah | Namo dirghaya shushkaya kaladanshtra namostu te ||3|| Namaste kotarakshaya durnarikshyaya vai namah | Namo ghoraya raudraya bhishanaya kapaline ||4|| Namaste sarvabhakshaya balimukha namostu te | Suryaputra namastestu bhaskarebhayadaya cha ||5|| Adhodrishteh namastestu sanvartaka namostu te | Namo mandagate tubhyam nistrinshaya namostute ||6|| Tapasa dagdha-dehaya nityam yogarataya cha | Namo nityam kshudhartaya atriptaya cha vai namah ||7|| Jnanachakshurnamastestu kashyapatmaja-sunave | Tushto dadasi vai rajyam rushto harasi tatkshanat ||8|| Devasuramanushyashcha siddha-vidyadharoragah | Tvaya vilokitah sarve nasham yanti samulatah ||9|| Prasada kuru me saure ! varado bhava bhaskare | Evam stutastada saurirgraharajo mahabalah ||10|| Dasharatha uvacha Prasanno yadi me saure ! varam dehi mamepsitam | Adya prabhriti-pingaksha ! pida deya na kasyachit ||
Dasharatha and Shani
The story comes from the Padma Purana. Astrologers warned King Dasharatha of Ayodhya that Shani was about to pierce Rohini nakshatra (the Rohini shakat bhed), which would bring twelve years of famine. Dasharatha rode his chariot to the sky to stop Shani. Shani, impressed by a king who would face him for his people's sake, offered a boon, and Dasharatha asked that he never pierce Rohini "as long as rivers, oceans, moon, sun and earth endure". He then praised Shani with this stotra, and asked a second boon: that Shani give no pain to anyone. For this reason the Dashrath Shani Stotra is believed to be especially pleasing to Shani.
What the ten verses say
- His appearance: salutations to the dark and blue one, like Shiva's blue throat, in the form of the fire of time (kalagni), Kritanta (death); fleshless, with long beard and matted hair, large eyes, a dry belly, fearsome; with hollow eyes (kotaraksha) hard to look at.
- His nature: terrible, fierce, bearing a skull; devourer of all; son of the Sun who also gives fearlessness; whose gaze is downcast; the dissolver (samvartaka); the slow-moving one (mandagati); body burnt by tapas, ever absorbed in yoga, always hungry and never satisfied.
- His power: "knowledge is your eye, son of Kashyapa's son (Surya); pleased, you give a kingdom; angry, you take it in a moment"; gods, asuras, men, siddhas, vidyadharas and serpents are all destroyed at the root when he looks at them.
- The plea: "be gracious to me, son of the Sun, be a giver of boons." Pleased, Shani, the mighty king of planets, grants Dasharatha's wish.
When to recite it
- On Saturdays, ideally at dusk, with a sesame-oil lamp under a peepal tree or before Shani's image.
- During Sade Sati, Shani's dhaiyya or Shani mahadasha, and on Shani Jayanti (Jyeshtha amavasya).
- Offer black sesame, mustard oil, black urad or blue flowers, and give to the poor or labourers, whom Shani protects.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called Dashrath Krit?
Because King Dasharatha, Rama's father, composed (krit) it when he confronted Shani to save his kingdom from famine.
What is Rohini shakat bhed?
Shani's passage through Rohini nakshatra, said to bring prolonged drought and famine; Dasharatha's first boon was that Shani never pierce Rohini.
When should the Shani stotra be recited?
On Saturdays, at dusk, and especially during Sade Sati, dhaiyya and Shani mahadasha.
Why does the stotra describe Shani as fearsome?
It names him truthfully as stern, slow and severe, the dispenser of karma, and then asks his grace. Facing him honestly is the point of the story.
What did Dasharatha finally ask?
"From today onward, give pain to no one", a boon for all people, not for himself.
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