Remove All Your Problem’s In This Shani Jayanti 2020
Shani Jayanti is a day which is observed with great veneration all across the country. It marks the birthday of Lord Shani. People are typically afraid of Shani and consider it a bad omen. Shani Jayanti is said to fall on the Vaishak Vaidya Chaturdashi Amavasya (New Moon) in the Jyestha month of the Hindu calendar. Special prayers and yagyas are a usual sight all across the country which is done to please the almighty.
The story of Lord Shani’s Birth
The stories of Lord Shani’s birth are many, but the most widely accepted one is that he is the son of Lord Surya (Sun) and his wife Sanjana. Sanjana is the daughter of Lord Vishwakarma, the engineer and architect of this world. They had three children together, Vaivasvata Manu, Yama and Yami. Sanjana could not tolerate the heat and radiance of Lord Surya and this darkened her complexion. Due to this she is also referred to as Sandhya by many. She did everything in her power to make herself worthy of being able to stay close to Lord Surya, but his heat was unbearable. Sanjana decided to leave Lord Surya and created ‘Chhaya’ (shadow), who was her identical clone, to replace her while she was gone. She was responsible for the well-being of her three children. Sanjana cautioned Chhaya to remember that she cannot replace her as Lord Surya’s wife. While Sanjana was not there, union of Lord Surya and Chhaya gave birth to three more children named, Manu, Shani and Tapti. It is said that while Shani was in Chhaya’s womb, she was so engrossed in serving her husband that she totally forgot about the heat and radiance of the sun. When Lord Shani was born, he had a dark complexion and Lord Surya disgusted him. He did not even accept Shani as his son and disrespected his wife, Chhaya. Shani casts and evil eye on Lord Surya and the horses of Surya’s chariots come to a sudden halt. Lord Surya’s body turned black and his radiance vanished into thin air. This is what we call the Solar eclipse or Surya Grahan and is considered a period of great pain for Lord Surya. Lord Shiva had to come to Lord Surya’s help and explained the rationale behind Shani’s complexion. Later on, Lord Shiva made Shani the god of justice and was responsible for rewarding as well as punishing people based on their karma.
Shani in Vedic Astrology
In Vedic Astrology, Saturn aka Shani is considered a negative planet which might not be absolutely correct. Shani is a disciplinarian and not exactly a negative planet. Its movement is really slow and thus has a long-lasting effect on people’s lives. He treats every individual equally and bestows his blessing on anyone who works hard and is persevere. As rewarding as he might be, he makes people pay for their sins. So, if you have done something that is not acceptable, you shall face the wrath of the God of Justice.
Shani is considered good in 2nd, 3rd, 7th and 12th houses of the kundali whereas the 1st, 4th, 5th and 6th houses are considered bad. If Shani is positively placed in your horoscope, you will be blessed with integrity, patience, authority, fame and a long life. This is generally considered a result of good deeds in one’s life that he/she has the blessings of Lord Shani. On the other hand, bad deeds in one’s life may position Shani in a negative way and can lead to miseries, sorrows, dejection and in serious cases, even death. Everyone is treated equally by the almighty and face the consequences of their actions some way or the other.
One of the most feared astrological phases is the one known as Shani Sade Sati. This is a 7 ½ years long period which is said to filled with difficulties and challenges in one’s life. It starts with the entry of Shani in the zodiac sign just before the birth. It exits one’s life immediately after the zodiac of the Moon. Shani Jayanti is the day considered perfect for asking for Lord Shani’s mercy so that this period of 7 ½ years shall pass without much damage.
Rituals on Shani Jayanti
So, what exactly do devotees do on this special occasion?
Navgraha Pooja – These poojas generally take place in Shani temples all across the country and people flock to these temples in large numbers. The idol is bathed with gangajal, panchamrit, oil and water. Post this, the devotees offer Navratna haar (a necklace of nine gemstones). Following this, Shri Shani Shantipath is read to please the lord so that all the hurdles in one’s life are removed.
Donating things which are black in color is considered auspicious on this day. People donate black shoes, black clothes and even black mustard oil on this day.
Shani Vrat – The believers observe Shani Vrat (fasting) on this day to please the lord. Shani Mantra Jap 23000 times during the day is considered to maintain and peace and prosperity in people’s lives.
Shani Yagya – Yagya may be performed according to guidance of the experts. This is generally suggested to people who are going through the Shani Sade Sati phase in their lives. This is also considered one of the methods to please the lord so that the difficulties and challenges in one’s life can be reduced.
Date and Pooja Timings for Shani Jayanti 2020
Date : 22nd May 2020
Sunrise : 5:27 am
Sunset : 7:10 pm
Amavasya Tithi Aarambh : 09:35 pm (21st May 2020)
Amavasya Tithi Samapth : 11:07 pm (22nd May 2020)