Shani Mantra

Everyone is afraid of the malefic planet Sani (Saturn) because generally he is associated with extreme sorrow and suffering. However, Sani deva himself has devised a way of solving this problem by obtaining the blessings of Lord Nrsimha.Shani made an agreement with the Lord that he would never trouble those who recite his Nrsimha Stuti when they are facing troubles related to dvädasa-añstama-païcama (a situation where Sani-käta lasts for 7 1/2 births).

If one recites with devotion Sani’s Sri Nrsimha Stuti, especially on Sanivära (Saturdays) and when Sani graha comes to 12-8-5 Janma Rsi or 10th AL, one will please the Lord who is the Supersoul of Shanaishchara and the Lord will remove all obstacles and suffering and bless His devotee.

“ sulabho bhakti yuktänämà durdarso dusta cetasäm |
ananya gatikänäm ca prabhu bhaktaika-vatsalah
Sanaishcara tatra nrsimha-deva cakärämala-citta-vrtih |
pranamya sastangam asesa-loka kirita niräjita päda-padmam || 1 | ”

Lord Nrsimàhadeva is easily accessible to the devotees and punishes those who are evil-minded. He is the saviour for those who are helpless who desire to seek refuge in Him. When the demigods of innumerable planets bow down to His lotus feet, the bright jewels from their crowns are reflected on His toenails which gives the impression that lamps are being waved in front of them. Unto His lotus feet, Sanideva prostrated and prayed (in the court of Brahmä).

“ Sri Sanir-uväca –
yat päda-pankaja-raja paramädharena
samsevitam sakala kalmashs räsi-näsam |
kalyäna kärakam asesanijänugänam |
sa tvam nrsimha mayi dehi krpä-valokam ||2|| ”

Sri Sani said – By the mercy of the dust of Your lotus feet which destroy a multitude of sins, grant infinite auspiciousness to Your devotee who always worships Your lotus feet with devotion. O Lord Nrsimha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

“ sarvatra cancalatayä sthitayäpi laksmyäh |
brahmädi-vandya-padayä stirayänya sevi ||
pädäravinda-yugalam paramä-dharena |
sa tvam nrsimha mayi dehi krpä valokam ||3|| ”

Your lotus feet are worshipped by Goddess Lakshmi, even though She is fickle by nature (chanchala [meaning that She, or wealth, easily moves from one place to another, though She is ever-steady in Her devotion to the Lord]) and by Lord Brahmä and Lord Siva whose feet are worthy of worship with devotion. O Lord Nrsimha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

“ yad rüpam ägama-Sirah pratipädhyamädhya |
ädhyätmikädi paritäpa haram vicintyam ||
yogésvarair apathagäkhila dosa sanghaih |
sa tvam nrsimha mayi dehi krpä-valokam ||4|| ” 

By contemplating or meditating upon Your appearance, which is expounded in the Vedas extensively, the best of the saints are liberated from the three-fold miseries and from all misfortunes. O Lord Nrsimha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

“ prahläda bhakta vacasä harir äviräsa |
stambhe hiraëyakasipum ya udhärabhävah ||
urvau nidhäya udharam nakhärai dadhära |
sa tvam nrsimha mayi dehi krpä-valokam ||5|| ” 

By the word of His devotee named Prahläda, Lord Hari, who is generous and kind, appeared from a pillar and by placing Hiranyakasipu on His thighs split open his stomach with His nails. O Lord Nrsimha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

“ yo naija bhaktam analämbudhi bhüdharogra |
sringa-prapäta visa dhamti sarisupebhyah |
sarvätmakaù parama-käruniko raraksa |
sa tvam nrsimha mayi dehi krpä-valokam ||6|| ” 

You protected your own devotee Prahläda from a raging fire, the deep ocean, from falling from a tall mountain peak, poison, a mad elephant and the fangs of poisonous serpents. You are omnipresent and supremely generous. O Lord Nrsimha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

“ yannirvikära para-rüpa vicintanena |
yogisvarä visaya sägara vita rägäh ||
visrämtim äpura-vinäsa vatim paräkhyäm |
sa tvam nrsimha mayi dehi krpä-valokam ||7|| ” 

By meditating upon He whose great form is devoid of imperfections, the best of the saints attained liberation from the ocean of materialistic attachments and obtained unmitigated salvation. O Lord Nrsimha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

“ yad rüpam-ugra parimardana bhäva säli |
samcintanena sakalägha vinäsa käri |
bhüta jvara graha samudbhava bhiti näsam |
sa tvam nrsimha mayi dehi krpä-valokam ||8|| ”

By meditating upon He whose form is fearsome, all peace, happiness and prosperity can be obtained, all sins can be obliterated, the fear arising from evil spirits, fevers and unfavorable planetary positions can be removed, O Lord Nrsimha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

“ yasyottamam yasa umä-patim padma-janma |
sakrädi daivata sabhäsu samasta-gitam ||
saktaiva sarvasa-mala prasamaika daksam |
sa tvam nrsimha mayi dehi krpä-valokam ||9|| ” 

Your transcendental fame is sung gloriously in all the divine assemblies of Shiva, Brahmä and Indra, etc. and whose power is steadfast in wiping out all impurities, O Lord Nrsimha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

“ evam srutvä stutim devah
saninäm kalpitämà harih |
uväca brahma vrndasta
sanim tam bhakta-vatsalah ||10|| ” 

On listening to the heartfelt prayer composed by Sanideva in the assembly of Lord Brahmä, Lord Hari who is ever compassionate to His devotees, spoke to Sanideva as follows.

“ Sri nrsimha uväca –
prasannoham sane tubhyam |
varam varaya sobhanam ||
yam vänchasi tameva tvam |
sarva-loka hitävaham ||11|| ”

Sri Nrsimha said – O Sani, I am pleased with your devotion. What ever you desire that will benefit the world, ask for that kind of boon and I will grant it.

“ Sri Sanir uväca –
nrsimha tvam mayi krpäm
kuru deva dayä-nidhe |
mad väsaras tava priti-
kara syat devatä-pate ||12|| ”

“ mat krtam tvat param stotram
srnvanti ca patanti ca |
sarvän käman pürayetäs
tesäm tvam loka-bhävanah ||13|| ” 

SrI Sanideva replied – O Lord Nrsimha, O reservoir of compassion, please be kind to me. O Lord of all gods, let my week-day (Saturday) be Your favorite day. O Purifier of all the worlds, may You fulfill the desires of all those who listen to or read this great prayer to You composed by me.”

“ Sri nrsimha uväca –
tataivästu saneham vai
rakso-bhuvana samsthitah |
bhakta kämän pürayisye
tvam mamaika vacah srinu ||
tvat kritam mat param stotram
yah patecchrinu yäccha yah |
dvädasastama janmastäd
bhayam mästu tasya vai ||14|| ” 

Sri Nrsimha said – O Sani, let it be so! By virtue of My being the universal protector (raksobhuvana), I fulfill the desires of all My devotees. Please listen to My words – let there be no fear of the twelfth and eighth birth positions (and implicitly any unfavorable birth positions) and consequent troubles from you for any one who reads or listens to this prayer to Me composed by you.

“ Sani naraharim devam
tateti pratyuväca ha
tatah parama-samtusto
jayeti munayovadan ||15|| ” 

Then Sanideva replied to Lord Narahari that he would follow the Lord’s instructions. Then the joyful saints and sages present there (in Brahma’s assembly) responded with cries of, ‘jaya, jaya!’”.

“ Sri krsna uväca –
itam sanaiscarasyäta nrsimha deva |
samvädam etat stavanam ca mänavah ||
srinoti yahù srävayate ca bhaktyä
sarvänyäbhistäni ca vindate dhruvam ||16|| ”

Sri Krishna told Dharmaräja, “Whoever listens to or recites this conversation between Sanideva and Lord Nrisimha in the form of this prayer of devotion will definitely have all desires fulfilled and will always rejoice.”

“ iti Sri bhavisyottara puräne raksobhuvana mahätme sri
Sanaiscara krta Sri nrsimha stuti sampürnam ” 

Thus ends the prayers offered from the Bhavisyoattara Purana to the universal protector Sri Nrisimha by the great soul Sani.