Actually Shani Dev is the more benevolent of the two, preferring for us to face our retributions here itself (where reduction of sentence, lowering of intensity is possible ) as opposed to when we meet his brother later. First seek forgiveness for any transgressions done knowingly or unknowingly.
Also known as Lord of Karma and Chhayaputra; Shani dev gives the results of one's deeds through one's life through appropriate punishments and rewards; Yama grants the results of one's deeds after death. When we do every work with gratitude towards nature then Shani Dev helps.
Shani is also known as the lord of masses and God of Punishment and his blessings are thus considered very important in an individual's horoscope for bestowing him with mass following and popularity. He is known as the greatest teacher and a well-wisher for the righteous as well as the greatest punisher for those who follow the path of evil, betrayal, back stabbing and unjust revenge.
He is depicted dark in colour, clothed in black; holding a sword, arrows and two daggers and mounted on a crow, which is Shani's vāhana. As protector of property, Shani dev is able to repress the thieving tendencies of birds. Offering Oil to Shani and feeding his mount the Crow helps in getting his blessings.
Shani Dev embodies highest spirituality and makes people realise that one should act like a karma-yogi i.e. perform prescribed duties without attachment to its results. In Bhagvad Gita, Sri Krishna teaches the same ;
श्रद्धया हेलया नाम रटन्ति मम जन्तवः ।
तेषां नाम सदा पार्थ वर्त्तते हृदये मम ।।
Those who say My Name have their names printed in My heart, no matter whether they say It devoutly or disdainfully. In any work that we perform there should not be any room for arrogance or complaints.
Shani Dev is not particular about which mantra to chant. He is observing how we work, how much ethics, good intention and best efforts we put into our work. He is watchful of our selflessness towards other people.
Responsible for actions: if the results of our actions are not good even if it was performed with greatest intention and best of efforts then also we must learn to accept our fault. We tried to make a project successful but we failed and we take the responsibility of our actions.
Conscious of our actions: choice of actions, trying to choose most righteous actions, giving priority to ethics, using “Viveka”/wisdom to discriminate between ethical and unethical actions in times of dilemma, planning the actions with clarity, thinking about pros and cons of the action during planning.
Attitude of gratitude: Gratitude is a skill to practice. Being grateful that God has given us this opportunity to perform this action so we must learn to submit all our present actions and fruits of actions to God out of gratitude. When we do something for somebody whether it is a foe or a friend, that action is also directed towards God so we must learn to be grateful for the opportunity.
Noble intention: any work regular or special all should be performed with an intention that is beneficial or noble for people we serve. Our selfish motive should not interfere in the noble intention. That kind of selflessness is what ShaniDev is pleased to notice.
The first three thing that Shani Dev wants us to learn through actions is gratitude, unattachment and patience. After learning gratitude, unattachment, patience, Shani Dev takes candidate to next level of forbearance, willpower and faith.
Forbearance: like there are times when we cannot control the situation and cannot even control the damage, sometimes we have to behave like a witness. That is art one must master, how sometimes we have to just witness our pains, unfavourable situations using will power.
Will power: there are two types. One is to sustain challenging situations, to change ourselves, improve our tendencies of reactions to other’s actions. Another type is keep giving effort to change the world, improve our surroundings. In both the cases, continuous effort is required.
Faith: faith comes from the observation that nothing lasts, everything is temporary and the bad phase would not last either. Faith comes from past challenges that we could go through and come out of it. Establishing faith in the self is what Shani Dev wants. ShaniDev is always giving us such situations which makes us self-sufficient. Having faith is also possible when one has patience. Without faith in the self, nothing is possible. Swami Vivekananda also said all power lies within you.
Mantra chanting is for us, for our own help. Regular chanting vibration converts sleeping potential energy within our body system to kinetic energy. This kinetic energy becomes ready to be used in a positive manner, if we use this energy to serve others with noble intentions. The flow of energy within the body will be perfect.
This will effect our mind, our thoughts and our actions positively. Navagraha mantra chanting will raise your energy to work, to serve others, to be selfless, to have patience, will also remove laziness and tendency of procrastination. But all these will not just happen in one day, it will happen over the years.
Only chanting will not help, along with it, through life’s various events, ShaniDev teaches us principles, values and ideals, which have to be implemented in our actions. Sruti (what is heard), and Smriti (what is perceived) as corpus conforms the Avatars of Devi-Shakti, whose worship in Tantra is referred to as Maha Vidya (Brahmacharini - Saturn).
It is said that when Shani dev opened his eyes as a baby for the very first time, the Sun went into an eclipse, which clearly denotes the impact of Shani dev on astrological charts. Read the Shani Mahatmya ( of King Vikramaditya ) which ends with “just as Lord Shanidev showed mercy on Vikramaditya, we pray that he bestows the same mercy on all who read or listen to this story”.
There is a connection between Shani Dev and Maa Dhumavati as both have a Crow associated with them. Devatas that are mentioned to deal with and reduce intensity of negative aspects of Shani Deva include Maa Dhumavati, Ganapati, Vishwakarma, Bhairava, Sudarshana and Hanuman ji, reduces the malefic effect of Shani.
(मंत्र) ॐ ऐं ह्लीं श्रीशनैश्चराय नम:।
ॐ प्रां प्रीं प्रौं स: शनैश्चराय नम: ll
कोणस्थ पिंगलो बभ्रु: कृष्णो रौद्रोन्तको यम:।
सौरि: शनैश्चरो मंद: पिप्पलादेन संस्तुत:।।
ॐ नीलांजनसमाभासं रविपुत्रं यमाग्रजम।
छायामार्तण्डसम्भूतं तं नमामि शनैश्चरम् ||
Today on Jyeshta or Vat Savitri Amavasya it is Shani Jayanti or Lord Shani birth anniversary; A good day to appease Lord Shani by visiting his temple and do telabhshekam, fasting, worship Lord Shiva or the pitris or doing honam/havan at home. Reading Vat Savitri katha is also favoured.
Perform Tailabhishekam (oil offering) at the nearest Shani Temple. Performing Yagna-Hawan on this day will get you; (a) Leadership skills and perfection, (b) Wisdom, discipline and patience (c) Will prevent from diseases and will reduce the ill-effects of Shani in your life. Shani Shingnapur Shaneshwara Mandir (Ahmednagar) celebrates Shani Jayanti as a major festival. Do you know; Houses near Shani Shingnapur do not have doors.
Sons of lord Surya :
Lord Yama - lord of death
Lord shani - lord of karma
Twin ashwini brothers (Nasatya and Dasra) - Divine doctors in hindu philosophy
Karna - warrrior at the time of mahabharata in dwapara yuga.
Sugreeva - king of monkeys in kishkinda.
Manu - progenitor of the current humanity.
Daughters of lord surya :
Yami/yamuna/kalindi/ jamuna - sacred river goddess known for her purity.
Bhadra - she is the Goddess of hunt and the wife of kubera
Tapati - she got married to king sanvarana, a legend of lunar dynasty.
Suvarchala - she got married to Lord hanuman.
Hence, there are six brothers and four sisters to lord shani, according to hindu philosophy.
Authored by Anadi Sahoo
