Dedicated to Lord Shani (SATURN) - Information and Shani Stotram (with meaning)


One of the most feared and respected Hindu gos is Lord Shani (Saturn), who is also known as Shaneeshwara, Shanaischara, Manda, Konastha, Pingala and Souri. He is said to be the offspring of Surya and Sangya, the daughter of Vishwakarma. Yama, the God of death and the river Yamuna are believed to be his sibilings.

His appreance is blue coloured, he is robed in blue clothes with a gold crown shining in all brilliance. His vehicle is eagle. Saturn is married to Sati, Chitraradha’s daughter.

Shani’s impact fails to work when he plans to trap Lord Venkateshwara. Thus it is believed that those who worship the Lord of seven hills especially on Saturdays will be absolved from the evil effects of Shani. It is also believed that praying to Lord Hanuman will help a person from being afflicted by Lord Shani.

Temples of Shani
An ancient temple in Mandapalli near Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh is a famous temple of Shani. Another one is at Shinganapur near Shirdi in Maharashtra. The third famous temple is at Tirunallar in Tamil Nadu. Worshipping Lord Venkateshwara at Tirupathi or at any of these temples will appease Shani.

Astronomical facts
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and is also the second largest planet, with a radius of 37,366 miles. It is said to have a small core of rock and iron,
then a layer of ice and lastly topped by a deep layer of liquid hydrogen. Saturn is different from other known planets for the rings it has. No planet in this solar system has rings like Saturn does. The rings consist of small pieces of ice and rock, are 62,000 kilometers wide but just 100 meters thick. The rings are actually made of thousands of closely spaced ringlets, looking like a gramophone record disk. Saturn has 22 known natural satellites, more than any other planet does.

Vedic Astrological view
From the Vedic point of view, the physical Saturn is only a representation of Sani Dev / Shanaischaram (Saturn God). By the movement of the physical Saturn, we understand the intention of Saturn God (Sani) about us. Saturn God is the natural ruler of karma, and to understand our karma, we must first understand Sani.From the Vedic texts, we can learn a lot about Sani. Many times the power of his gaze have been mentioned in the classics. We learn that right after Sani was born, his gaze caused Sun's charioteer to fall down and break his thigh; Sun's horses to get blind; and Sun himself caught vitiligo for Sani's powerful gaze on him. They were healed only when Sani moved his gaze away and looked at somewhere else.

In Jyotish, Sani is considered a very malefic planet. The nine planets are the incarnation of Lord to bestow us the result of our karma - which are the lessons we need to learn. And most of the times, the toughest lessons are taught by Sani. In our school, we always have different teachers for different subjects like Math, Physics, Language etc. Just like that, different planets teach us different kind of lessons, and most of the times the teacher Sani teaches us very painful lessons.
Sani is the natural giver of grief. In general, Sani is considered the most malefic planet, and the
most problematic, painful yogas involve Sani most of the times. When Sani maleficly affect something, he slows the matter down, and causes obstructions and delays in it's fruitfulness. Sani also rules separation, he hurts us by taking things away from us. When we face a painful separation from our parents, spouse, friends or anyone we care for, Sani is always a possibility for that. Ketu also causes separation as he rules non-attachment, but separations and delays are among the main significations of Sani. He's association with Venus / 7th lord causes separation from spouse most of the times.

Sani is a planet of Tamasic quality. He is a planet of extreme nature. When he favours someone, he gives very favourable effects. Oppositely, when anyone receives his curse, indescribable pain and miseries he or she faces in life. Sani purifies a person by giving immense sorrow and pain, as fire purifies the gold. Favourable effects of Sani on one's nature include in-depth knowledge, sensibility, wisdom, justice, broadness of mind, honesty, patience, ability to work hard etc.
In life, he may give wealth, fortune, long life etc. when auspicious and well placed.On the other hand, when badly afflicting a person's nature, Sani can make one sadistic, greedy, lazy, dishonest, fearful, irresponsible and even addicted to drugs. Sani causes obstruction, delay, grief, poverty, short life etc. He makes a person totally lonely, helpless and can make one suffer from enmity, theft, lawsuits etc. Sani can also give imprisonment since he rules obstruction, loneliness and grief. When causing diseases, Sani generally gives chronic diseases as the person suffers for a long time - by this he again shows his nature of slowness and delays.
When badly effecting one's profession, Sani makes one work very hard but does not give the proper reward he deserves.

Among other planets used in Vedic Astrology, Saturn is the last one counted from Sun's position. That is why Sani Dev rules 'The last' or 'The end' of anything. He is the 'Last Answer' in anything. In our material world, death is the end of everything, and that is why, Sani rules death and longevity issues. He is the natural significator of 8th house in astrology. We know that 8th house deals with sorrows, shock, pains, depressions and also - occult. That is why Sani also deals with Magic, Tantra, Jyotish etc. Sani was lamed by another son of the Sun, named Yama (God of death) when he hit Sani in his leg. So Sani is always very slow in his movement.
One name of Sani, as I already mentioned, is 'Shanaischaram' which means the slow mover. He takes around 2.5 years to pass through a sign, thus he takes around 30 years to complete the travel over the whole zodiac. So he rules slowness and delays; And he teaches us how to tolerate slowness and delays, by patience. He is generally pleased with people having patience.

The great phase (Maha Dasha) of Sani lasts for 19 years. Even than the Maha Dasha, Sani gets the strong hold of a person by his transit over the 12th, 1st and 2nd signs from his or her natal Moon. This is called 'Sade Sati' since it lasts for about 7.5 years.The pacification ways of Sani Dev include donation of black clothes, mustard oil, black daal, sesame etc. to the poor and helping and serving the old and needy people since Sani signifies all these. Maha Rishi Parasara suggests donating a black cow or feeding Brahmins with rice cooked with powder of sesame seeds to appease Sani Dev. Sani Dev is a great Devotee of Lord Krishna that is why it has been said that Sani Dev does not create problems to people who worships Lord Krishna (Esp. on Saturdays). It should be also mentioned that Krishna is also a name of Sani Dev. Sani Dev is also appeased if one recites Sani Stotram. The Stotram with audio can be obtained from here. There are a lot of other ways to appease Sani Dev, like using an old horse shoe, iron nails collected from boats etc. and a whole website can be devoted to this.

Lord Sani is a respecter of discipline, responsibility, moderation. These are all yogic virtues and vital to an ultimately rewarding life. So Sani's influence will mean a compulsory end to burning the candle at both ends. If you have never lived a regulated life, you maybe in for a shock: it is deeply satisfying!

Facing trouble, it is a common thing to look for a way out. Jyotish offers various means to propitiate the planetary deities. But Lord Sani cannot easily be fobbed off by an expensive gem, or a yantra, or mantras uttered carelessly - or worst of all, by someone other than you on your behalf. If you feel you really want to propiate Sani to ward of his ill affects, then take a little time to work out what you are trying to do. Far better than propiating Sani is to enter a relationship with him. He has a huge amount of gifts to offer.

Shani Stotram - with meaning
(It is believed that King Dashrath composed this hymn in praise of Lord Shani)

Om. asya shree shanaishchara stotrasya
dashratha rishi
shanaish-charo-devata
trishtup chandahah
shanaish-chara preety-arthe jape viniyogah
dasharatha uvacha

Om. Of Sri Shani Stotra, Dasharatha is the Rishi (seer of the mantra). Shanaishchara is god (related to this hymn). Enjoined is repetition (of this hymn) for the appeasement of Shanaishchara (Saturn).

kono-antaka roudra-yama-tha babhruh

krishnah shanih pingala manda sourih

nityam smrito yo harate cha peedam

tasmai namah shree ravi-nandanaya

Prostrations to Sri Ravinandana (Saturn), who when regularly remembered as (the ten names listed in the first and second line of this verse) steals away the suffering (misfortune of the devotee).

sura asurah kim purusha ragendra
gandharva vidyadhara panna-gash cha
peedyanti sarve vishama-stitena
tasmai namah shree ravi-nandanaya

Prostrations to Sri Ravinandana, by whose unfavourable position, gods, demons, celestial beings, celestial musicians, celestial masters of various wisdom-teachings and even celestial snakes succumb to sufferings.

nara narendra pashavo mrigendra

vanyas-cha ye keeta-patanga-bringah

peedyanti sarve vishama-stitena

tasmai namah shree ravi-nandanaya

Prostrations to Sri Ravinandana, whose unfavourable position brings agony to laymen, emperors, common animals, huge animals, forest creatures, insects, flies and humming bees (irrespective of anyone's status).

desah-cha durgani vanani Yatra
sena-nivesah pura-pattnani
peedyanti sarve visham-stitena
tasmai namah shree ravi-nandanaya

Prostrations to Sri Ravinandana, whose unfavourable position brings about suffering to countries, citadels, forests, war-camps, houses and cities.

tilairya-vair-masha gudanna danaih

iohena neelambara danato va

preenati mantrair-nijavasare cha

tasmai namah shree ravi-nandanaya

Prostrations to Sri Ravinandana, who is appeased by giving in charity things like sesame, paddy, black-gram, molasses, rice pudding, iron, blue cloth etc., and by chanting mantras on his own day (Saturday).

prayaga-koole Yamuna tate cha
sarasvati punya-jale guhayam
yo yoginam dhyana-gatopi sookshmas
tasmai namah shree ravi-nandanaya

Prostrations to Sri Ravinandana, who manifests in subtle form before the yogis who meditate on him at any holy bank of prayag (confluence) of two rivers; Yamuna and Saraswati, or in a cave.

anya-pradeshat swagriham pravishtas

tadeeya-vare sa narah sukhe syat

grihad gato yo na punah prayati

tasmai namah sri ravi-nandanaya

Prostrations to Sri Ravinandana, who bestows happiness to a person when He enters His own house (constellation); (though) when He leaves the house, does not return for a long time. (signifies his slow movement)

srashta swayam-bhoor bhuvana trayasya
trata hareesho harate pinakee
ekas tridhah rig yajuh sama murtis
tasmai namah sri ravi-nandanaya

Prostrations to Sri Ravinandana, who is the creator of three worlds, who is the self-manifested being, who is Hari the protector and Pinakin (Siva, bearer of the three pointed spear or pinaka), the destroyer, all in one, as well as the embodiment of the three-fold Vedas; Rig, Yajus and Saman.

konasthah pingala babruh

krishno roudroantako yamah

sourih shanaish-charo manday

pippalandena sam stutah

Thus, Pippalada praises Thee (by chanting your ten names as contained in lines 1-3).

etani dasha-namani
pratar-uthaya yah pathet
shanaishchara-krita peeda
na kadachid bhavishyati
harih Om

He who chants these ten names, getting-up early in the morning, will never suffer from the pain caused by Saturn. Harih Om.

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