Sampat Shanidev

It is commonly believed that many miseries in life are caused due to the displeasure of Shanidev. A local legend given below demonstrates the need to keep Sahnidev propitiated.

There was a small town and there lived a poor brahmin with his family. He had three daughters-in-law. During the rainy days, he used to get up early in the morning, have his Breakfast and leave for the farm. As a routine, he had entrusted the house-hold chores to the youngest daughter-in-law. It was Shravan Month. On the first Saturday, he told the young lady that today is Saturday, go upstairs, get some food grains, grind them to prepare the roties and kenakurdu vegetables. She followed the instructions. She found that there were grains enough for half a roti. She prepared the food out of this and waited for her in-laws. By the time, Shree Shanidev appeared at the house in the form of a Lepor and told the lady that his entire body is aching, please apply oil and bathe him with hot water and thereafter give me some food to eat. The young lady had a sympathy for him. She applied oil and bathed him. Gave him the food and thus quenched his hunger and thirst. Lepor blessed her. The blessings were that she will never fell short of anything in the life. After some time, the in-laws came home and saw an excellent preparation of food and happily wondered as to how this happened when there was very little in the home.On the next Saturday, the Brahmin told the second daughter-in-law to be at home and left for the farm. Shanidev as usual appeared in the guise of a lepor and requested the lady to bathe and to serve the food, This young lady told him that there was nothing in house to offer him. Shanidev cursed her and said, 'Whatever you have would vanish'. Shanidev left home. The lady went up and found that there was nothing in the pots. The father-in-law came back home and she informed him that there is nothing for the supper. They scolded her. Then she narrated the whole episode. The third Saturday, the Brahmin asked the third daughter in law to manage the home. Shanidev appeared in diguise and requested this young lady to serve. The young lady followed the suit of the second one with a negative approach. The result was that nothing remained in the house. All the family had to fast. The lady was very sad for the incident. Again on the fourth Saturday. The Brahmin entrusted the house to the youngest daughter-in-law and left for the field. Shanidev came as usual as a lapor and requested to serve. The lady wholeheartedly bathed him and gave the food to his satisfaction. Shanidev blessed her that all her desires would be fulfilled. He collected the leftover food and vanished. The lady went up again and found ample food grains etc. She cooked a sumptuous supper for the entire family. The in-laws were happy to have the food, they enquired from where she got all the grocery. The lady narrated the story of the lepor. They were quite happy. All of a sudden the father-in-law spotted a bundle of patravali (a leaf in which the food was served). He opened the bundle and found diamonds and pearls in it. He enquired of other daughters-in-law, they informed that the lepor had come to them twice but they did not give him anything. The lepor got annoyed and everything vanished from the house and we all had to fast. The Brahmin offered prayers to Shanidev and asked blessing for all.