It was a
long dark night. The silhouette of a man was visible in the faint glow of the
funeral pyres in the cremation ground. The man was tall, had a staff and his
emaciated frame was clad with a coarse linen raiment which was dark in colour
like the night. His hair was rough and disheveled, eyes sunken, with prominent
cheek bones, perhaps due to lack of proper food. He had a thick stubble,
chapped lips, and a fixed downward gaze looking at the burning pyres. He looked
like a statue of sorrow but his eyes had a mysterious radiance, sharp and
unwavering like that of a sage performing austerity. His concentration was
broken by the wails of a woman in tattered clothes carrying the body of his son
to this cremation ground, to conduct the boy’s last rites. This man, who was
keeping a vigil in the cremation ground, stopped and asked for tax with a stoic
countenance and didn’t allow the last rites to be conducted till he received
the tax. This watchman was none other than Emperor Harishchandra who went
through untold hardships to uphold truth and dharma. He even sold his wife
Chandramati and bore the pangs of separation from his son Rohitaswa. This
episode gave him the epithet Satyvadi- the truthful and his fame has been
etched in gold in the annals of history teaching all mankind how to tread the
path of truth. This symbolism summarizes the functioning of shani or Saturn.
Shani is referred to as the
celestial taskmaster, for he teaches us the lessons of life the hard way. It is
under its effects that we gain wisdom of experience. Shani induces
truthfulness, detachment, responsibility, ethics of hard work and discipline
into every individual. Shani gives the power to endure, and provides the
tenacity and perseverance to realize our potentials. Don’t you think it is the
same that we learn from our father at home and in schools from our teachers?
Shani is the farthest among all
the planets moving slowly, taking 30 years to complete one cycle around the
sun, hence, taking two and half years in each of the twelve rashis. As it is
the farthest, receiving less sunlight, it is depicted as black in colour. This
makes Saturn impart a black colour to anything it lords over. Shani is
worshipped with gingelly oil seeds or gingelly oil which is again black in
colour. Also as the
outermost planet it is the last one, figuratively, that one has to cross for
liberation.
It is the slowest moving of all the planets,
which is reflected in its nature of delaying things and its characterstic of
teaching the virtues of patience, perseverance and endurance. It delays rewards
until it is earned, so that the individual acquires the deservedness to receive
it. Gold is put through a rigorous process of melting, beating and polishing
transforming it into a beautiful ornament; in the same way Saturn makes a man
go through trials and tribulations in his life sojourn and makes him a complete
personality.
A strong Saturn in an individual’s
horoscope makes him/her lean, dark and tall. It gives rough and coarse hair
with a tendency of early greying or baldness. People with strong Shani are slow
learners, good planners and rise slowly on the corporate ladder.
There are a lot of misconceptions
regarding Saturn’s Sadhey Satee, and its period in one’s life. As
explained earlier, Saturn takes thirty years to complete one revolution around
the Sun, hence taking two and half years to traverse each zodiac sign. The sign
where the moon is placed for an individual in a birth chart is considered as
the moon sign (Chandra rashi). When Saturn moves the signs previous to the moon
sign, the moon sign and the sign following the moon sign, it is called Sadhey
satee i.e. 7 ½ years(2 ½ *3). According to me, it is a time of
introspection and self enquiry to find answers to the fundamental questions of
life. This approach is very helpful during this period as Shani is the only
planet which is considered as a yogi. It is portrayed as having a downward gaze
teaching us the lesson of humility. Saturn becomes a tormenter of people who
are arrogant and egotistical. It teaches such people the lesson of non-doership
the hard way and helps them to understand that everything happens by the will
of god.
It can be harsh. It can make you
overtly ambitious, selfish, solitary, unhappy. But it is again for the good, as
one learns from bad phases of life. Shani is the benefactor Yogi turning people
towards the spiritual path.
Many pandits and astrologers have
mushroomed claiming that they can give readymade remedy to mitigate the ill
effects of Saturn. However, the best way to please Saturn is to respect elders
as Saturn is depicted as an old man with lot of wisdom. Saturn is also appeased
by serving the poor and the needy.
Many astrologers are considering
November 15th 2011 as
a very important date as Shani transits into the sign of Libra(the scales),
where it is very powerful. Libra stands for justice, harmony and balance. Entry
of Saturn into Libra will usher
in an era of less corruption, more upright and strong judiciary and resistance
to greed and despotism. Anna Hazare’s current movement
against corruption, rising in wall street against corporate greed and uprising
in the Arabian world are examples of this transit. These movements started
taking shape roughly six months before this transit which happens generally
because Saturn shows its effects six months before its actual transit.
In Shani’s own words
regarding the role carved out for him by the Almighty:
“Look,
I get all the hot headed and egoistic people in my classroom. And I can't kick
them out of class for misbehaving. I start out by politely asking them to
behave. If that doesn't work, I am forced to raise my voice to them and if they
don’t listen then I’m forced to use sterner means. I am, after all, a Teacher.
I want you all to succeed in your spiritual evolution. But, you all must learn
that slow and steady wins the race. Practice makes man perfect. What I do not
like is complete self-indulgence and impetuosity. Nothing worthwhile in life
comes without my blessings and energy.”
So,
don’t fear Shani but learn from Shani to be humble and truthful and to realize
your true potential.
