Shani-deva's Jayanti - 10th June 2021 - Dipika

Shani-deva's Jayanti - 10th June 2021

                            Happy Jayanti Mr Shani deva :)

Shani Jayanti is marked as birth anniversary of Lord Shani (the planet Saturn). Shani
Jayanti is also known as Shani Amavasya. Lord Shani is son of Lord Suryadeva and
rules planet Saturn and weekday Saturday. Shani Jayanti is observed on Amavasya
Tithi during Jyeshta (4th Hindu) month according to Vedic calendar. On Shani Jayanti
devotees keep fast or Upvaas to propitiate Lord Shani and visit Shani dev's temples to
seek blessing of Lord Shani. Shani-deva believes in fair justice and if appeased blesses
his devotee with good luck and fortune. People, who don’t have blessing of Lord Shani,
toil for years without getting any reward for their hard work in life. Shani Jayanti is
very appropriate day to perform Hawan, Homam and Yagya to appease Lord Shani.
Shani Tailabhishekam (oil bathing of Shani deva) and Shani Shanti Puja are the most
important ceremonies performed during Shani Jayanti. Above ceremonies are
performed to lessen the effect of Shani Dosha, which is popularly known as Sade Sati,
in one's Kundali (birth horoscope).

Shani Amavasya is the no moon day that falls on a Saturday (Shanivar) on a traditional
Hindu/Vedic calendar. Amavasya is considered inauspicious by many and the fear of
Lord Shani is well known as he is believed to create havoc in the life of a person. So
Amavasya falling on Saturday is considered highly inauspicious by many.

Shani Amavasya - Auspicious Day of the Lord Shanidev
I offer my most humble and prostrated obeisances at the lotus feet of the great terrifier
and son of Suryadeva. I humbly beg for his blessings to compile this article to make
people aware what a great personality he really is.

People suffering from Pitra Dosha (The Curse of an ancestor) and Kaal Sarpa Dosha
(The Curse of a snake) conduct remedial pujas on this day. Various other rituals
dedicated to Lord Shani are performed on this day as well.

Performing Shraddha prayers meaning paying tributes to one’s ancestors are
considered to bring success, so people perform this ritual on Shani Amavasya. Do note
that Shani-dev doesn't only give sorrow but also gives happiness on this auspicious day.

The new moon night is a time to heal obstacles and retarding forces in your life. This
Shani Amavasya is a great occasion to do some reconfiguring of your karmic balances.
On new moon nights especially those falling on Saturdays create mental imbalance,
stress, confusion and chaotic activities in life as well as obstacles to achieving goals. The
obstacles arise out of the confusion of mind.

The positive aspect of Amavasya is that the mind being 'absent' (moon=mind), it is
capable of being in silent watchful and recording/observing mode when nourished and
protected by healing and specific mantras. Mantras are special sound vibration
sequences that protect the mind. ('man'= mind, 'tra'= to protect.).

                         Rectification for Shani’s negativities
At the same time when a special Upai (rectification) is done, there is reduction and
removal of all the negatives. At the same time there the upai enables an ability to
access the spiritual nature in a heightened way. Saturn (Shani) energies are very
powerful to help create spiritual karma--on this occasion if one approaches Shree Shani
for his grace through specific mantras, one can receive much benefit in life.

In the process of this connection, super karma flows into our lives to shift our karmic
balance in our favour.

*** OR COURSE IF YOU HAVE PERFORMED THIS PUJA PREVIOUSLY THERE IS
NO NEED TO PERFORM IT AGAIN BUT I ADVISE WHY NOT? I PERSONALLY
PERFORM THIS PUJA EVERY YEAR AS I REALLY WANT TO PLEASE SHANI-
DEV.

After the following, the Potli (bag) Upai is performed between these times on 10th June
(it's most appropriate to perform this ritual within daylight hours) but I would highly
suggest these most auspicious times (06h48 to 08h04 or 10h38 to 13h12). Of course

being a working day in South Africa I would suggest it be performed within the daylight
hours if possible.

The Shani Amavasya Mantras may also be chanted which are given below.
Benefits of the rectification procedure. The following procedure:
Reduces and removes energies of confusion and chaos
Reduces and removes blocking of opportunities and results
Reduces and removes mental ill-health
Creates protection from inimical forces and government action
Creates a situation where inimical forces can be overcome successfully

Gather the following materials:

Next... Gather the materials listed above (excluding the oil) and place them on a white
cloth. The white cloth should be placed on the black cloth and gathered together in a
potli (bag) and its mouth tied securely. You can also use a rubber band to secure the bag
and its contents as shown.

Then...perform the upai (rectification) as below—

                              Shani Amavasya Upai
Leave the potli at a crossing (a place at which a road intersect) OR under a Peepal tree
(locate any temple and they generally have a Peepal tree) and pour the oil around the
potli three times clockwise, chanting “Om Sham Shanisharaye Namah” and leave the
bottle there.

Shani-Amavasya Mantra Chanting:-

Finally, after performing the upai at the times given above during the day, around
sunset you can chant the mantras given below. These are especially powerful to protect
the mind on Shani-Amavasya night. (Mantra – 'Man' = the mind; 'tra' = to protect from
hurt and damage.). Remember to be in the mood that you are approaching Lord Shani
(Saturn) and requesting his grace and protection very humbly.

This fast starts from sunrise Thursday the 10th June and ends sunrise the following
morning. This is a 24-hour fast from salt.

In the morning after bathing you should offer water in a lota (Cup) to Surya Narayana
(The Sun). In the lota add a few grains of white rice, sindhur and flowers petals. Stand
in front of the Sun and stretch your arms forward and block the Sun with the lota. Close
your eyes and visualize that you are offering Him incense, lamp and flower petals. Offer
Him fruit, flowers and sweets. Now literally offer the water – still with your eyes closed
on Suryadevas’ feet.Now open your eyes. Pray to the Lord to remove any obstacles on
your path.

Just before sunset have a bath and put on clean blue/black clothes. Go to your prayer
place. Offer incense, lamp or flowers to the Shani-dev picture given above and recite the
following mantras to Shani-dev.

Chant the first mantra below as many times as you like - 3, 9, 11, 21 or more times.
Next, chant the second, third and fourth mantras as many times as you like as well.

1. Om gan ganapataye namah.
2. Om sham shani-sharaye namah.
3. Shaneshwaraya shantaya, sarvabhista pradayine, sharenya varenyaya,
sarveshwaraya namo namah.
4. Om shanisharaye vidmahe, sooryaputraya dheemahi, tanno manda prachodayat.

To have the full benefits of the fast you should abstain from salt for the entire fasting
period of 24 hours. You can consume milk, vermicelli, saigo milk, halva and fruits.

Recipes when you are observing this Shanidev Fast.

        The whole idea about fasting is to abstain from salt. Why you may ask???

Fasting in Hinduism indicates the denial of the physical needs of the body for the sake
of spiritual gains. Salt is an integral part of our diet. Abstaining from salt is a huge
sacrifice. It is common knowledge that excess salt (Sodium-chloride - NaCl) causes
hypertension or elevation of blood pressure. Since the point of a fast is to make things
better, and not worse in ones life, one should fast according to one’s capacity and
circumstances. The best fast is to abstain from everything, including from water, but if
ones physical condition will not permit this, then one should rather not try this method.
The next best is to consume water only, and the next on fruits only. Thereafter we enter
the realm of mono-diets; some of these are inclusive (e.g. milk only), while others are
exclusive (e.g. no salt). In this day of age its very difficult for most to abstain from water
so the next best thing is to abstain from salt. When one consumes salt on the day that a
planet is troubling him/her, he/she becomes like a magnet for that planet to create
obstacles on that’s person’s path. On the other hand if one doesn’t have salt then that
planet cannot harm that person in any way. So now you can see how important it is not
to consume salt on this day.

Abstain from:- Salt or any food items that has salt. So below are the foodstuffs that you
can have on this auspicious day but please note that the more strict the fast the greater
and quicker the benefits.

You can consume water, fresh juices, milk, and fruits.
Milk shakes (you can add banana or avocado), yogurt smoothies.
Sweet rice a.k.a kheer.
One can have halava a.k.a halva, Suji, and pudding.
Vermicelli.
Tasty wheat porridge with sugar and vanilla essence.
Pancake – without baking powder or self-raising flour.
Potato soup (add thyme and black or white pepper).
Make potato chips and you can add vinegar or lemon juice to it.
Roti without salt. Add ghee or unsalted butter to the dough.
Make salads without salad dressing and fruit salads with cream if you like.
Saigo milk.

After that--Enjoy excellent mental, emotional, physical, karmic and spiritual health!

     ADDITIONAL SHANI-DEVA INFORMATION THAT MAY INTEREST YOU

From the Srimad-Bhagavatam (8.13.9-10): It’s mentioned that the sun-god had a third
wife, named Vadava. Of the three wives, the wife named Samjna (Sandhya) had three
children — Yama, Yami (Yamuna) and Shraddhadeva. Now let me describe the children
of Chaya (Shadow). Chaya had a son named Savarni and a daughter named Tapati, who
later became the wife of King Samvarana. Chaya’s third child is known as Shanaishcara
(Shani-deva) [Saturn]. Vadava gave birth to two sons, namely the Ashvini (twin)
brothers.

The birth of Shani-deva is described in several Puranas, such as the Bhagavata;
Markandeya; Vishnu; Matsya; Skanda, as well as the Mahabharata (Harivamsa) and so
forth. Each narration slightly differs, especially with the names of their off-spring and
various curses. The following is a synopsis from the Vishnu Purana :

Surya-deva (Sun-god) married Sandhya (daughter of Visvakarma/Daksha), who was a
very faithful and devoted wife. She bore three children: Vaivasvata Manu, Yama and
Yami. Unable to bear Surya's intense radiant heat, Sandhya retires to the forest (Uttar
Kurukshera) to perform tapasya (austerities) in form of a mare, leaving her shadow-
image Chaya (sister/maid) to take her place and serve her husband Surya.

Surya mistakes Chaya for Sandhya and fathers three more children: Shani, Savarni
Manu and Tapti. However, Chaya became partial to her own children and ignored those
of Sandhya. Yama suspected the change of behavior and offended Chaya. She then
cursed Yama, which revealed to him and Surya that Chaya was not the true Sandhya.
After learning the truth from Chaya, Surya-deva finds Sandhya and brings her back.

The following beautiful pastime of "WHEN MOTHER YASHODA PROTECTED HER
BABY KRISHNA FROM SHANIDEVA".
"In Vraja Bhumi near the town of Koshi Kalan is the splendid setting of Kokilavan
Dham, the "forest of kokila birds (cuckoos). There is a temple to Shanideva, the deity of
Saturn, the planet of sorrow, bad luck and hard labor.

"According to the Vrajavasis (the residents of Vrndavana), Kokilavan is the actual place
where Lord Krishna blessed Shanideva with His darshan. It is well known that when
Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared at the end of Dwapara
Yuga, all the devas and goddesses came to worship and bless Him. However, as a
protective mother Yashoda prevented Shanideva from see the Lord since she naturally
wanted to keep her son away from any bad luck.

"Naturally disappointed, Shanideva then went to Kokilavan where he undertook severe
penance. In time Lord Krishna became pleased with His devotee and offered His
darshan to the penitent deva. Lord Krishna blessed Shani that anyone who visits his
temple there may soon become free from the results of accumulated past sinful actions.
Naturally the most popular weekday for darshan is Saturday, the day of Saturn. Thus,
when Vaishnavas visit Kokilavana it is to remember the lila of our Lord Krishna since
His blessings of pure bhakti are all that are required.

                  "SATURN OFTEN REPRESENTS THE WORST
                 THAT YOUR KARMAS HAVE IN STORE FOR YOU.

        The most important thing Saturn teaches you endurance and humility.

AND FINALLY REMEMBER ONE THING ABOUT SHANI DEV:- No other planet can
give what Shani dev can and no other planet can give more misery than Shani deva can.

                                Jai Ravi putra Shani dev

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