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Dasharatha Shani Stotram - Dasharath Krit

The Dasharatha Shani Stotram - the celebrated hymn (Dasharath Krit Shani Stotra) with which King Dasharatha, father of Lord Rama, pleased Lord Shani and averted his wrath.

॥ दशरथ उवाच ॥

नमः कृष्णाय नीलाय शितिकण्ठनिभाय च।
नमः कालाग्निरूपाय कृतान्ताय च वै नमः॥१॥

नमो निर्मांसदेहाय दीर्घश्मश्रुजटाय च।
नमो विशालनेत्राय शुष्कोदरभयाकृते॥२॥

नमः पुष्कलगात्राय स्थूलरोम्णेऽथ वै नमः।
नमो दीर्घायशुष्काय कालदंष्ट्र नमोऽस्तु ते॥३॥

नमस्ते कोटराक्षाय दुर्निरीक्ष्याय वै नमः।
नमो घोराय रौद्राय भीषणाय कपालिने॥४॥

नमस्ते सर्वभक्षाय बलीमुख नमोऽस्तु ते।
सूर्यपुत्र नमस्तेऽस्तु भास्करेऽभयदाय च॥५॥

अधोदृष्टे नमस्तेऽस्तु संवर्तक नमोऽस्तु ते।
नमो मन्दगते तुभ्यं निस्त्रिंशाय नमोऽस्तु ते॥६॥

तपसा दग्धदेहाय नित्यं योगरताय च।
नमो नित्यं क्षुधार्ताय अतृप्ताय च वै नमः॥७॥

ज्ञानचक्षुर्नमस्तेऽस्तु कश्यपात्मजसूनवे।
तुष्टो ददासि वै राज्यं रुष्टो हरसि तत्क्षणात्॥८॥

देवासुरमनुष्याश्च सिद्धविद्याधरोरगाः।
त्वया विलोकिताः सर्वे नाशं यान्ति समूलतः॥९॥

प्रसादं कुरु मे सौरे वरदो भव भास्करे।
एवं स्तुतस्तदा सौरिर्ग्रहराजो महाबलः॥१०॥

फलश्रुति

इदं दशरथप्रोक्तं स्तोत्रं यः पठते नरः।
शनैश्चरकृता पीडा न कदाचिद्भविष्यति॥

इति श्रीदशरथकृतं शनैश्चरस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम्॥

॥ dasharatha uvacha ॥

namah krishnaya nilaya shitikanthanibhaya cha।
namah kalagnirupaya kritantaya cha vai namah॥1॥

namo nirmamsadehaya dirghashmashrujataya cha।
namo vishalanetraya shushkodarabhayakrite॥2॥

namah pushkalagatraya sthularomne'tha vai namah।
namo dirghayashushkaya kaladamshtra namo'stu te॥3॥

namaste kotarakshaya durnirikshyaya vai namah।
namo ghoraya raudraya bhishanaya kapaline॥4॥

namaste sarvabhakshaya balimukha namo'stu te।
suryaputra namaste'stu bhaskare'bhayadaya cha॥5॥

adhodrishte namaste'stu samvartaka namo'stu te।
namo mandagate tubhyam nistrimshaya namo'stu te॥6॥

tapasa dagdhadehaya nityam yogarataya cha।
namo nityam kshudhartaya atriptaya cha vai namah॥7॥

jnanachakshurnamaste'stu kashyapatmajasunave।
tushto dadasi vai rajyam rushto harasi tatkshanat॥8॥

devasuramanushyashcha siddhavidyadharoragah।
tvaya vilokitah sarve nasham yanti samulatah॥9॥

prasadam kuru me saure varado bhava bhaskare।
evam stutastada saurirgraharajo mahabalah॥10॥

phalashruti

idam dasharathaproktam stotram yah pathate narah।
shanaishcharakrita pida na kadachidbhavishyati॥

iti shridasharathakritam shanaishcharastotram sampurnam॥

Frequently asked questions about Dasharatha Shani Stotram

What is the story behind this hymn?

Shani was about to enter Rohini in a way that would have brought famine - the Rohini shakat bheda - and Dasharatha, Rama's father, rode out to confront him. Shani, pleased by his courage and then by this hymn, granted him the boon that the calamity be averted.

What is it recited for?

Relief during a hard Shani period - Sade Sati, a Shani mahadasha or antardasha, Shani ashtama. Its own closing verses say that whoever recites it is spared Shani's severity.

When is it recited?

Saturday after sunset, on Shani Amavasya and Shani Jayanti, and daily for the length of a difficult period as a sankalpa, before a til-oil lamp.

What do the many names in it mean?

They describe Shani unflinchingly - dark-bodied, gaunt, long-bearded, of the nature of the fire of time, the ender. The hymn does not soften him; it addresses him as he is and then asks for mercy, which is why it carries weight.

What else does the tradition ask for Shani?

Acts rather than rituals - feeding the hungry, helping labourers and the disabled, dealing honestly. The Shani Chalisa and the Shani beej mantra are the devotional half of the same remedy.

About the Dasharatha Shani Stotram - Dasharath Krit

The Dasharatha Shani Stotram - the celebrated hymn (Dasharath Krit Shani Stotra) with which King Dasharatha, father of Lord Rama, pleased Lord Shani and averted his wrath.

Meaning

When Shani was about to enter Rohini nakshatra and bring a twelve-year famine, King Dasharatha rose to protect his people and praised Shani with these verses - saluting his dark form, his unwavering justice and his power to give or take away in an instant. Pleased, Shani granted the boon that whoever recites this stotra will not suffer his afflictions.

Benefits

Recited on Saturdays and during Sade Sati, Dhaiya, Shani dasha or an afflicted Saturn to pacify Shani Dev; considered among the most powerful Shani remedies, softening hardship into discipline and protection.

The Dasharatha Shani Stotram - Dasharath Krit above is given in both Devanagari (Sanskrit) and Roman transliteration so you can read it in whichever script you are comfortable with - switch between the two using the buttons above, share the link, or download a PDF.

A stotram is a longer Sanskrit hymn of praise, not a forty-verse chalisa and not the lamp-song of an aarti. Browse every stotra on the Stotram index. For japa of a short formula use a mantra. The steps of worship around the recitation are in Puja Vidhi.