Let us immerse ourselves in the sacred tale of Saturday Vrat, a divine narration that reveals the immense power and grace of Shani Dev, and the profound benefits of observing His devoted Vrat. This sacred Katha teaches us about humility, patience, and the ultimate justice of the divine planets.
The Sacred Saturday Vrat Katha
Once upon a time, in the celestial realms of Swargaloka, a dispute arose among the nine planets regarding who was the greatest. To seek a resolution, all the deities approached Devraj Indra and said, “O Devraj, you must decide who among us is the most supreme.” Hearing the deities’ question, Indra Dev found himself in a dilemma. He then suggested that they all proceed to Prithvi Loka (the earthly realm) to King Vikramaditya.
All the planets arrived at the court of King Vikramaditya on Bhuloka. When the planets presented their question to King Vikramaditya, he too was troubled for a while, for all the planets were mighty due to their unique powers. Declaring any one of them lesser or greater could invite their wrath and lead to severe consequences.
Suddenly, an idea dawned upon King Vikramaditya. He had nine seats made from various metals: gold, silver, bronze, copper, lead, tin, zinc, mica, and iron. The golden seat was placed at the very front, and the iron seat at the very back. He asked all the deities to take their respective seats. He declared, “Let each take the seat meant for them. The one whose seat is first shall be the greatest, and the one whose seat is last shall be the least.”
Since the iron seat was at the very back, Shani Dev understood that the king had deemed him the least. Angered by this decision, Shani Dev declared, “O King, by seating me at the very back, you have insulted me. You are not acquainted with my powers. Surya (Sun) resides in a zodiac sign for one month, Chandra (Moon) for two and a quarter days, Mangal (Mars) for one and a half months, Budh (Mercury) and Shukra (Venus) for one month, Brihaspati (Jupiter) for thirteen months. However, I reside in a zodiac sign for periods ranging from two and a half years to seven and a half years. I have afflicted even the greatest of deities with my wrath; now you too shall beware of my fury.”
To this, King Vikramaditya replied, “What is destined shall be seen.” Thereafter, the deities of the other planets departed happily, but Shani Dev left with great anger. Some time later, when King Vikramaditya came under the influence of Shani Dev’s Sade Sati (a period of seven and a half years of Saturn’s influence), Shani Dev assumed the form of a horse trader and arrived in Vikramaditya’s city with many horses. King Vikramaditya, seeing the horses, chose a fine one for himself and mounted it. As soon as the king mounted the horse, it galloped away with the speed of lightning.
The swiftly galloping horse carried the king deep into a forest, where it threw him off and then vanished. The king wandered in the forest, trying to find his way back to his city, but could find no path. He felt hungry and thirsty. After much wandering, he met a shepherd. The king asked him for water. After drinking water, the king gave his ring to the shepherd, asked for directions, and then left the forest to proceed to a nearby town.
Upon reaching the town, the king sat at a merchant’s shop. While the king sat there for a short while, the merchant experienced a great surge in sales. The merchant considered the king fortunate and invited him to his home for a meal. In the merchant’s house, a golden necklace was hanging on a peg. Leaving the king in that room, the merchant went out for a while. Just then, an astonishing event occurred. Right before the king’s eyes, the peg swallowed the golden necklace. When the merchant returned and found the necklace missing, he suspected the king of theft and ordered his servants to tie the stranger with ropes and take him to the city’s king. When the city’s king questioned Vikramaditya about the necklace, he explained that the peg had swallowed it. Enraged, the king ordered Vikramaditya’s hands and feet to be severed for the crime of theft. The soldiers severed King Vikramaditya’s hands and feet and left him on the roadside.
Some days later, an oil-presser (Teli) took him to his home and made him sit on his oil-press. The king would guide the oxen by calling out to them. In this manner, the oil-presser’s oxen kept working, and the king received food. As the Sade Sati period of Shani Dev’s wrath was completing, the monsoon season began. One night, as Vikramaditya was singing the Megh Malhar raga, Princess Manbhavani of the city happened to pass by that house in her chariot. She heard the Malhar, found it pleasing, and sent her maid to summon the singer. The maid returned and told the princess everything about the disabled king. The princess was deeply enchanted by his Megh Malhar and, knowing everything, decided to marry the disabled king.
When the princess told her parents about this, they were astonished. They tried to dissuade her, but the princess remained firm in her resolve and decided to give up her life if not allowed. Ultimately, the king and queen were compelled to marry their princess to the disabled Vikramaditya. After the marriage, King Vikramaditya and the princess began living in the oil-presser’s house. That very night, in a dream, Shani Dev spoke to the king, “O King, you have witnessed my wrath. I have punished you for the insult you