Saturn, who had overheard the Raja’s remarks entered his assembly hall, seeing this everyone rose to their feet, their voices dried by amazement and fear at his terrible sight, everyone prostrating like staves. Vikramaditya too bowed at Saturn’s feet with utmost reverence.
The King knew his fate was sealed, offered every sort of respect to him. Saturn spoke, “ O Vikramaditya! You have insulted me in the entire assembly without even knowing the extent of my capabilitie are you aware that Indra and all the devas quiver in front of me? Whoever I get angry with I totally destroy, I do not allow even a trace of that miscreant to remain, not even his name."

"While flying through the air I sensed the disgust you expressed in me. I am about to enter the constellation Virgo, which occupies the twelfth house in your horoscope, which means for seven and half years you will have no choice but to learn precisely who I am. Soon you will know what my powers really are, I shall remove all these airs of yours, mark my words. The Moon resides in one constellation for merely two quarter days, the Sun, Mercury and Venus for one and half months, Jupiter for 12 months and Rahu, Ketu for 18 months, but I remain for a whole 30 months in each sign, and I have delivered prolonged misery even to the Gods themselves."

"I waylaid Sri Ramchandra, the incarnation of God himself, sent him to exile, when I accosted Ravana, Shri Ramchandra collected an army, invaded Lanka and killed Ravana and his entire family. So now Vikramaditya, you prepare for misfortune!’’

Vikramaditya pleaded, but Saturn said, “If I show compassion to you, you will never obtain personal knowledge of my abilities.’’

After a month Saturn entered Virgo, the 12th constellation from Virgo. An educated astrologer informed Vikramaditya that Saturn is Mahakrura (megacruel) in all the three worlds and as his seven and half cycle on the King had commenced, he should appease Saturn to escape from his tortures, reciting his mantra 23,000 times, making 5,750 offerings in the sacred fire.

Commencement of Vikramaditya’s sade satti.

Raja Vikramaditya had invited the wrath of Saturn. He thought to himself that Saturn had caused suffering to his parents as soon as he was born, so what good things could one expect from him? Vikramaditya’s sade satti began. Saturn took the form of a rich merchant and entered Ujjain to sell horses, Vikrama heard of the excellent horses and sent his men to buy the good ones. Hearing of their exorbitant prices Vikrama came to see the horses himself and liked one of them so much that the merchant asked him to try it out. The moment he sat on it, the horse galloped at enormous speed into the jungles where Vikrama managed to jump and get off, he had lost his way, he had no option but to wait till dawn when a passing cowherd showed him the way to the nearest town Tamalinda.

When Vikrama reached the town he entered a traders shop who noticed that his sales had doubled since Vikrama entered his shop and said that he must take this lucky man home for marriage to his daughter. His daughter decided to examine Vikrama in the night, the room was decorated, a perfumed bed with flowers was laid, Vikrama entered the room and lay down on the bed, after sometime the beautiful girl entered, bedecked with 16 varieties of adornment. Seeing Vikrama sleep she tried to rouse him up by sprinkling saffron water on him, but who could wake a sleeping man? She lay beside him, hung her necklace on a peg and went to sleep.

To his astonishment Vikrama saw one of the swans descend from the painting and eating the necklace. Vikrama thought that if he stopped the swan, he would lose his reputation for his generosity and if he didn’t stop the swan he would be accused of theft. When the girl woke up in the morning and discovered the missing necklace, she woke up Vikrama rudely and asked him about it. Vikrama’s refusal to admit the theft angered her, and she complained to her father who got Vikrama beaten up thoroughly. When Vikrama still didn’t confess he was taken to King Chandrasena, and Vikrama pleaded to him that Saturn was unfavourable to him so this was happening. The king grew more furious and asked his guards to beat Vikrama to make him confess, when that too did not work he was taken away to a jungle and his hands and legs were chopped off. The King ordered that nobody should show mercy to Vikrama, but he miraculously survived, if he had died how would Saturn continue to harass him? Hearing heard Vikrama’s plight the King allowed people to feed him.

End of Vikramditya’s sade satti.....