नमः कृष्णाय नीलाय शिखिखण्डनिभाय च
About this stotra
The Shani Stotram Dasaratha Krutam is a prayer to Lord Shani (Saturn) attributed to King Dasharatha, father of Lord Rama. When Shani was about to move into an afflicting position over Rohini Nakshatra, threatening widespread suffering, Dasharatha propitiated him with this stotram. The hymn vividly describes Shani's fearsome dark form, his absolute power to humble even Brahma, Indra, the sages and all the three worlds with a single glance, and ends with a humble prayer for his grace. Recited on Saturdays and during Shani transits for relief from planetary afflictions.
नमः कृष्णाय नीलाय शिखिखण्डनिभाय च ।
नमो नीलमधूकाय नीलोत्पलनिभाय च ॥ 1 ॥
namaḥ kṛṣṇāya nīlāya śikhikhaṇḍanibhāya cha ।
namō nīlamadhūkāya nīlōtpalanibhāya cha ॥ 1 ॥
Salutations to the dark, the blue-black, resembling the peacock's feather; salutations to the dark honey-tree-blue, resembling the blue lotus.
नमो निर्मांसदेहाय दीर्घश्रुतिजटाय च ।
नमो विशालनेत्राय शुष्कोदर भयानक ॥ 2 ॥
namō nirmāṃsadēhāya dīrghaśrutijaṭāya cha ।
namō viśālanētrāya śuṣkōdara bhayānaka ॥ 2 ॥
Salutations to the fleshless-bodied, with long-tufted matted locks; salutations to the wide-eyed, O terrifying one with a shrunken belly.
नमः पौरुषगात्राय स्थूलरोमाय ते नमः ।
नमो नित्यं क्षुधार्ताय नित्यतृप्ताय ते नमः ॥ 3 ॥
namaḥ pauruṣagātrāya sthūlarōmāya tē namaḥ ।
namō nityaṃ kṣudhārtāya nityatṛptāya tē namaḥ ॥ 3 ॥
Salutations to the one of virile form, with thick body-hair — salutations to you; salutations to the eternally hungry, and salutations to the eternally satisfied.
नमो घोराय रौद्राय भीषणाय करालिने ।
नमो दीर्घाय शुष्काय कालदंष्ट्र नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ 4 ॥
namō ghōrāya raudrāya bhīṣaṇāya karāḻinē ।
namō dīrghāya śuṣkāya kāladaṃṣṭra namō'stu tē ॥ 4 ॥
Salutations to the terrible, the fierce, the fearsome, the formidable; salutations to the tall, the lean, O fierce-toothed one — salutations to you.
नमस्ते घोररूपाय दुर्निरीक्ष्याय ते नमः ।
नमस्ते सर्वभक्षाय वलीमुख नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ 5 ॥
namastē ghōrarūpāya durnirīkṣyāya tē namaḥ ।
namastē sarvabhakṣāya valīmukha namō'stu tē ॥ 5 ॥
Salutations to you of terrible form, O one hard to behold; salutations to you the all-devouring, O wrinkle-faced one — salutations.
सूर्यपुत्त्र नमस्तेऽस्तु भास्वरोभयदायिने ।
अधोदृष्टे नमस्तेऽस्तु संवर्तक नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ 6 ॥
sūryaputtra namastē'stu bhāsvarōbhayadāyinē ।
adhōdṛṣṭē namastē'stu saṃvartaka namō'stu tē ॥ 6 ॥
O son of the Sun, salutations — O giver of fear to the luminous; O downward-gazing one, salutations — O Samvartaka (dissolver), salutations to you.
नमो मन्दगते तुभ्यं निष्प्रभाय नमोनमः ।
तपसा ज्ञानदेहाय नित्ययोगरताय च ॥ 7 ॥
namō mandagatē tubhyaṃ niṣprabhāya namōnamaḥ ।
tapasā jñānadēhāya nityayōgaratāya cha ॥ 7 ॥
Salutations to you the slow-moving, O you of little lustre; to the one whose body is pure knowledge, ever devoted to yogic discipline.
ज्ञानचक्षुर्नमस्तेऽस्तु काश्यपात्मजसूनवे ।
तुष्टो ददासि राज्यं त्वं क्रुद्धो हरसि तत् क्षणात् ॥ 8 ॥
jñānachakṣurnamastē'stu kāśyapātmajasūnavē ।
tuṣṭō dadāsi rājyaṃ tvaṃ kruddhō harasi tat kṣaṇāt ॥ 8 ॥
O eye of wisdom, salutations — O son of the son of Kashyapa; when pleased you bestow kingdoms; when angered you snatch them away in an instant.
देवासुरमनुष्याश्च सिद्धविद्याधरोरगाः ।
त्वयावलोकितास्सौरे दैन्यमाशुव्रजन्तिते ॥ 9 ॥
dēvāsuramanuṣyāścha siddhavidyādharōragāḥ ।
tvayāvalōkitāssaurē dainyamāśuvrajantitē ॥ 9 ॥
Gods, asuras and humans, siddhas, vidyadharas and nagas — all who are gazed upon by you, O Saura (Saturn), swiftly fall into distress.
ब्रह्मा शक्रोयमश्चैव मुनयः सप्ततारकाः ।
राज्यभ्रष्टाः पतन्तीह तव दृष्ट्याऽवलोकितः ॥ 10 ॥
brahmā śakrōyamaśchaiva munayaḥ saptatārakāḥ ।
rājyabhraṣṭāḥ patantīha tava dṛṣṭyā'valōkitaḥ ॥ 10 ॥
Brahma, Indra, Yama and even the seven great sages — having been gazed upon by you they fall from their kingdoms.
त्वयाऽवलोकितास्तेऽपि नाशं यान्ति समूलतः ।
प्रसादं कुरु मे सौरे प्रणत्वाहित्वमर्थितः ॥ 11 ॥
tvayā'valōkitāstē'pi nāśaṃ yānti samūlataḥ ।
prasādaṃ kuru mē saurē praṇatvāhitvamarthitaḥ ॥ 11 ॥
Even those gazed upon by you perish root and branch. Be gracious to me, O Saura — I bow to you with a humble prayer.