With transit of Shani into Vrischika rasi just around the corner, here is a powerful stotram to seek blessings of Shani Bhagawan and mitigate the impact.
Sage Narada asked Mahadeva " How does one get relief from Shani's trouble? "
Mahadeva said, " Listen O! Devarshi, Shani is the king among planets. He is the lord of death Yama himself. He wears jata, has got diamond like hair and induces fear in asuras. This story that I am about to tell had been kept a secret so far. The great emperor Dasharatha ( Lord Rama's father ) was informed by astrologers about the arrival of Shani at the end of Krithika nakshatra, He was about to transit into Rohini nakshatra and the result to be expected is twelve years of terrible famine. Dasharatha was worried and asked Vasishta and other nobles for a solution.
Vasishta said that Rohini being the nakshatra of Prajapati, the entire creation would suffer and not even Brahma or Indra could help. Upon hearing this Dasharatha mounted his chariot and went towards Rohini constellation with all the divine weapons in his possession. Rohini is 100000 yojanas above surya mandala. He stood there at the entrance of Rohini as brilliant as Sun determined to prevent Shani from entering Rohini.
Shani was amused to find Dasharatha blocking his path. Shani said, " I am really impressed with your courage Devas, asuras, manushyas, siddhas, vidyadharas and nagas - they all turn to ashes by my mere glance and you are here fearlessly blocking my bath. Ask any boon that you want."
Dasharatha said, " As long as there is Sun, Moon, Earth and the occeans, you should not transit Rohini. " Shani agreed and asked Dasharatha to ask for one more boon. Dasharatha said, " You may never cause a famine to last for twelve years." Even that boon was granted by Shani who blessed Dasharatha that his fame would spread in all three worlds.
An elated Dasharatha put his weapons down and after saluting Ganesha and Saraswathy started praising Shani with the following stotram :
नमः कृष्णाय नीलाय शितिकण्ठनिभाय च ।
नमः कालाग्निरूपाय कृतांताय च वै नमः ॥
नमो निर्मांसदेहाय दीर्घ-श्मश्रु-जटाय च ।
नमो विशालनेत्राय शुष्कोदर भयाकृते ॥
नमः पुष्कलगात्राय स्थूलरोम्णेऽथ वै नमः ।
नमो दीर्घाय शुष्काय कालदंष्ट्र नमोस्तु ते ॥
नमस्ते कोटराक्षाय दुर्निरीक्ष्याय वै नमः ।
नमो घोराय रौद्राय भीषणाय कपालिने ॥
नमस्ते सर्वभक्षाय वलीमुख नमोस्तुते ।
सूर्यपुत्र नमस्तेस्तु भास्करे भयदाय च ॥
अधोदृष्ट्रे नमस्तेस्तु संवर्तक नमोस्तुते ।
नमो मन्दगते तुभ्यं निस्त्रिंशाय नमोस्तुते ॥
तपसा दग्धदेहाय नित्यं योगरताय च ।
नमो नित्यं क्षुधार्ताय अतृप्ताय च वै नमः ॥
ज्ञानचक्षुर्नमस्तेतु कश्यपात्मज-सूनवे ।
तुष्टो ददासि वैराज्यं रुष्टो हरसि तत्क्षणात् ॥
देवासुर-मनुष्याश्च सिद्ध विद्याधरोरगाः ।
त्वया विलोकितास्सर्वे नाशं यान्ति समूलतः ॥
प्रसादं कुरु मे देव वरार्होऽहमुपागतः ॥
Listen to the audio clip here ..............
Listen to the audio clip here ..............
Shani became happy upon hearing this stotram and told Dasharatha to ask one more boon. Dasharatha said that Shani should not trouble anyone hereafter. Shani said it is the nature of planets to trouble and that is why they are called grahas.
गृह्णन्तीति ग्रहाः सर्वे ग्रहाः पीडाकराः स्मृताः
This boon was impossible. However, he would grant boon that anyone who chants the above stotram at least once a day would be spared of Shani peeda.
Additionally, on a saturday a statue of Shani made of Iron should be worshiped with shami patra and given away in daanam to a brahmin along with rice cooked with masha ( urad ) and mixed with sesame seeds. Daanam of black cow or bull also may be performed. Such a person will never be troubled by Shani.
Thus receiving three boons from Shani, Dasharatha returned to earth.