THE AUSPISCIOUS SHANI JAYANTI

THE AUSPISCIOUS SHANI JAYANTI

 

 

Shani Jayanti is the birth anniversary of Lord Shani. It is the day when Lord Shani, the son of Lord Sun, was born. His birthday falls on the Amavasya of the Vaisakh month. More specifically, on the Vaisakh Vaidya Chaturdashi Amavasya. It is also known as Shani Amavasya.

 

The planet Saturn astrologically represents Shani and also represents the seventh day of the week or Saturday.

 

Lord Shani is a Hindu deity who is very handsome and sits on a vulture, buffalo or a crow. He is the elder brother of Yama, the God of death, who is responsible for delivering justice to people at the time of their death, as per scriptures.

 

Astrologically, Shani or Saturn is the slowest moving planet that takes 2.5 years to transit from one zodiac sign to another. When Shani opened his eyes for the very first time after his birth, it is said that the Sun went into an eclipse. This is a clear indication of the impact of Shani on astrological charts.

 

As per some ancient scriptures, there is a story that Lord Shani prayed to his father, Lord Sun, to be given a post that hasn’t been received by anyone until now. He tries to make the Lord Sun see that no other Deva or Asura can challenge him in terms of speed or grandeur.

 

The Sun God was pleased with his words and suggested to Lord Shani that he should go to Kashi and worship Lord Shiva. Following his father’s wishes, he went to Kashi, paid his respects and pleased Lord Shiva, who gave Saturn a place in the new planetary systems.

 

 

THE BIRTH OF LORD SHANI

Lord Shani is the son of Lord Sun and his concubine Chhaya (shadow). When he was in his mother’s womb, she religiously prayed and did severe penance sitting under the blazing sun to please Lord Shiva. The deity heard her prayers and his divine blessings nurtured the child in the womb.

 

Due to Chhaya’s prayers to Lord Shiva, Lord Shani came to be a sincere devotee of Lord Shiva. However, since she was sitting continuously under the sun for a long time, the child in her womb kept turning black as time went by.

 

When Lord Shani was born, Lord Sun despised him due to his color and refused to acknowledge him as his son. This greatly angered Lord Shani and gave rise to a tense relationship between the father and son. 

 

 

ABOUT SHANI JAYANTI

The Shani Jayanti is celebrated every year by the Hindu religious to ward off all the ill effects from their lives by praying to Lord Shani and pleasing him. Devotees follow strict rules and regulations so as to keep Lord Shani happy and avoid his wrath.

 

Regardless of your status, rich or poor, educated or illiterate, if you have done some unacceptable wrong deeds in the past, Lord Shani will ensure that you pay for them. However, he not just the God of bad luck or ill omens. He also showers blessings on the ones who work hard, tries to do the right thing every time and give their best shot at everything on a continuous basis.

 

People also keep a fast on Shani Jayanti. The purpose of doing this is also to please Lord Shani so that the individuals who do so receive good luck and fortune.

 

 

WHAT TO DO ON SHANI JAYANTI?

On the occasion of Shani Jayanti, Shani Shanti Puja, havan, yagya is said to be beneficial and should be done apart from the regular Saturday pujas. The above mentioned can be performed either at a Navagraha temple or a Shani temple in your locality.

 

On the day of the puja, the idol of Lord Shani is cleaned using panchamrit, oil and water one after another. The idol is then offered the navratan haar, a necklace consisting of nine precious gems that are followed by performing the puja.

 

To avoid any hindrance in growth in any domain of life, individuals should recite the Shani Stotra or shanti path after the puja in order to appease Lord Shani.

 

It is believed that if a person donates black clothes, black sesame seeds or mustard oil on this day, it will be highly beneficial for them. They can lead a hassle-free life.

 

 

SOME MEASURES TO FOLLOW

If you are a person who has an ill-placed Shani in their kundali, you should do the Shani Yantra puja regularly as well as on Shani Jayanti. If you want to receive more and greater blessings from Lord Shani, this ritual should be followed by either of the following:

 

Mix jaggery and sesame seeds and scatter this a mixture in an open area or plot of land. It would be great if it is outside the city.

You can chant the Puranokta Mantra during the daytime. Reciting the Shani Stotra is also equally beneficial.

 

Under the influence of Shani, one is said to face some of the hardest times in life, and it all depends upon the person's inner strength and their threshold, as to how well they deal with such situations. The person emerging on the other side of these hurdles is often more insightful and spiritual, more mature to take anything in life unfazed. It is best to overcome these challenges thinking of the huge positive that you become better as a person when it’s all over.