Pipplad Muni's (ascetic) father used to live along with his wife and son on the bank of Yamuna river. Due to some negative deeds done by him in the past lives, Saturn – whose job it is to make a person experience to himself the pain that he inflicted on others – first made him sick and destitute and then caused his death. Pipplad was an infant when this happened.
His mother was very distressed and often in tears at the death of her husband. When Pipplad grew up to be an adolescent he once asked his mother about her great sorrow and also about his father. The heartbroken mother told him in detail the whole story and how it was Saturn who was responsible for his father's death.
Pipplad was enraged and left his house at once in search of Saturn. After a while he located him on the branch of a Peepal tree. Through the Yogic powers acquired by him in previous lives Pipplad could easily perform miracles. He materialized a Bramhadand (divine staff) and hit Saturn hard on his legs. By the energy contained in the staff, both the legs were fractured immediately and caused him great suffering and agony. He cried out for help.
Lord Shiva heard the cries and appeared near his disciple. He addressed Pipplad and asked him to be kind to Saturn as he was under his protection. Pipplad was embarrassed that his treatment of Saturn had caused Lord Shiva himself to intervene. He begged forgiveness and asked Shiva to instruct Saturn to keep away from innocent people. Now that Saturn's legs were broken he would never be able to move fast, and would be known as Mand or slow moving. Pipplad further took a promise from Saturn that anyone who worships Pippleshwar Mahadev will remain immune from the deeds of Saturn
. Saturn agreed immediately.
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At this, Lord Shiva returned to his abode on mount Kailash. Even today anyone who listens to this story on a Saturday and offers water and raw sugar to a Peepal tree before sunrise, gains immunity from the negative results of Saturn.
