Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c5.255

c5.255

During the regime of Daśaratha the planet Śani approached the orbit of Rohiṇī. Experts in astronomy said that the earth would be ruined by famine etc. if Śani cleft the star Rohiṇī. Hearing this Daśaratha took his bow and arrows, got into his chariot, and started for the firmament. He travelled for one lac and a quarter of yojanas (leagues) and reached the hind part of Rohiṇī, which is beyond the sun. Adorned with golden garments and a golden crown studded with jewels, seated on a golden chariot decorated with precious stones, and a lofty flagpost and yoked with horses of the colour of swan, the king shone in the sky as a second sun. He drew the bow-string right upto his ear and placed in it the arrow of destruction. When the devas and the asuras saw the arrow of destruction they began to tremble with fear. Śani came to Daśaratha and fell before him and said that he would grant any boon to the King, and requested him to recall the arrow of destruction. Daśaratha told Śani that he only wanted Śani not to come to the orbit of Rohiṇī. Śani agreed. From that day onwards Śani has never entered the orbit of Rohiṇī. (Padma Purāṇa, Uttara Kāṇḍa, Chapter 34).