MantraOnNet.com: Pleasing of Lord Saturn

Pleasing of Lord Saturn

King Vikrama, who knew nothing of the drama that was
playing out in the palace, had begun to worry: “When shall I go to
Ujjayini and return to ruling my kingdom? There is no misery left for
me to undergo, and still Lord Saturn does not show me his grace.
Would that he would grace me now!”

As King Vikrama sat thinking thus, Lord Saturn was filled
with compassion for him, and came and stood before him. That
powerful planet said, “0 King Vikrama! Do you recognize me? I am
Lord Saturn. Have you been singed by the blaze of my power? Tell me
how much suffering you have now endured by insulting me in your
court.”

On seeing and hearing the almighty Saturn, King Vikrama
attempted to rise to his feet but, being footless, he tumbled promptly
to the ground, so he rolled handlessly over to Saturn’s feet in order to
make his obeisance. Then said the mighty Lord Saturn: “0 King
Vikrama! Bravo for your patience. You have survived great miseries; now request your heart’s desire from me.”

Vikramaditya, in a voice choked with emotion, replied, “0
Great Ruler! You have awarded me immense distress. Give me now
this boon, that you will never again trouble anyone else as you have
troubled me. 0 Compassionate Lord Saturn! This is my heart’s desire.
No one else could endure the miseries that I have withstood. I wish
that this should happen to no one else, ever.”

When he heard this Saturn responded with, “Bravo, King
Vikrama! Well done! You could have asked for your hands and feet to
be returned to you, but you feel the pain of others in your heart, and,
renouncing your own selfishness, you asked for a boon for everyone
else. You are verily a remover of others’ troubles, for you want to save
all beings from suffering. I am very pleased with this sort of
benevolent attitude. I am in truth so pleased that I give you this boon:

May your hands and feet be again as they were before, and may you
regain your previous luster!” In the instant that these words were
spoken King Vikrama’s hands and feet were once again whole, and he
was as handsome as before.

Then Vikramaditya placed his- head on Lord Saturn’s feet
and said, “0 Lord Saturn! I bow to you profoundly again and again
for having shown me your grace, and again I request this boon from
you, that you never subject any living being of any species to this sort
of torment.”