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Web pages designed by Mike Magee. mike.magee@btinternet.com Original artwork is © Jan Bailey, 1975-2022. Translations are © Mike Magee 1975-2022. 
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The Sun and Planets (Graha)
Time ripens and dissolves all beings in the great self, but he who knows into what time itself dissolves is the knower of the veda. – Maitrayana Brahmana Upanishad
According to the influential Tantrarajatantra, the planets (Graha) are all forms of consciousness, partake of the nature of the elements and through their revolutions give rise to changes. The Hindus recognised nine. The Sun is considered in Hindu astrology to be a graha, but the chief of all of the planets.
The whole circle surrounds Lalita on her paradise island, and is the Kalachakra.
Surya, the sun, is pictured as golden in colour, holding a lotus. He is seated on a ram. The moon, Chandra, is snow white in colour and is male. Mars (Angaraka), is like a prince. Mercury (Budha), is yellowish in colour. Jupiter (Guru or Brihaspati), has a great body. Venus (Shukra), is pleasing in complexion. Saturn (Shani), is dark in colour, with a limp. Rahu is the north node of the moon and has a headless body while the other node, Ketu, is a body without a head.
Each may be worshipped as a deity and the following text is translated from the Brahmanda Purana. It gives the puja details of Shani (Saturn) along with 108 names, nyasas and mantras.
Although the tantriks were of old followers of Shiva, Shakti, Ganesha, Vishnu and Surya, the divisions worshipping the last gradually came to worship Surya’s son, Saturn; identified often with Mahakala. (See also the remarkable hymn to Mahakala Shani Mrityunjaya)
Saturn Puja
Om. Urumitra is the Seer of this great mantra of Saturn, Gayatri is the Metre, Saturn is the devata, Sham is the Bija, Nam the Shakti, and Mam the Kilaka, The application is towards Saturn’s favour and power.
Hand Nyasa Hail to the Slow Mover on the thumbs Hail to the Plodder on the index fingers Hail to the Low One on the middle fingers Hail to the Son of the Sun on the ring fingers Hail to the Dispeller of Anxiety on the little fingers Hail to the One with Stuck-Up Hair on front/back of hands
Limb Nyasa To the Slow Mover in the heart Namah To the Plodder on the head Svaha To the Low One on the crest Vashat To the Son of the Sun on the armour Hum To the Dispeller of Anxiety in the three eyes Vaushat To the One with Stuck-Up Hair in the missile Phat The binding of the Directions is Bhur-Bhuvah-Svar
Meditation Dark coloured clothes, dark coloured and beautiful, crowned, seated on a crow, creating terror, armed with a bow, Son of the Sun, with four arms, always be calm! O Magnificent Boon-Giver, be propitious! (Then do mental worship with ‘Lam’ etc.)
Root Mantra O God Saturn! Give us Pure Water! Give Drinkable Water! Be appeased! Make water flow!
Armour of Saturn Om.Kashyapa is the Seer of this great mantra armour of Lord Saturn, Anushtubh is the Metre, Saturn is the Devata, Sham is the Bija, Nam is the Shakti, Mam the Kilaka. The application is my success by recitation and Saturn’s Grace.
Hand Nyasa Sham hail to the thumbs Shim hail to the index fingers Shum hail to the middle fingers Shaim hail to the ring fingers Shaum hail to the little fingers Shah hail to the front and back of the hands
Limb Nyasa Sham to the heart Namah Shim to the head Svaha Shum to the crest Vashat Shaim to the armour Hum Shaum to the three eyes Vaushat Shah to the missile Phat The binding of the Directions is Bhur Bhuvah Svar
Meditation Four arms, the Slow God, holding bow and quiver, giving boons and showing compassion, terrific fangs, like a blue lotus, smeared with dark blue unguent, ornamented with blue jewels, having a crown with flaming rays, seated on a black crow, circumambulating Mount Meru, frightening all the worlds, the Deva wearing black clothes, seated on a crow. In this way one should meditate on the highest planet of all, the Destroyer of the Afflictions of Men. (One should then do mental worship using ‘Lam’ etc.)
The Armour Slowly Moving One, protect my head! Destroyer of the Pains of the Devoted, shield my face! Black Clothed One, protect my ears! Maker of all Fear, protect my eyes! Black Limbed One, shield my nose! Blue Necked One, guard my throat! Strong Armed One, shield my arms! One like a Lustrous Blue Lotus, protect my hands! Black One, protect my heart! O Drier Up, shield my belly! Hideous One, protect my hips! Terrible One, protect my thighs! Lanky One, guard my knees! Giver of Luck, guard my legs! Creator of Qualities, shield my ankles! Lame-Footed One, protect my feet! O Son of the Sun, protect me in all my limbs!
Hymn of Saturn Om.Kashyapa is the Seer of this great mantra-hymn of Lord Saturn, Anushtubh is the Metre, Slow Moving Saturn is the devata, Sham is the Bija, Nam is the Shakti, Mam is the Kilaka. The application is Saturn’s fayour in giving the desired result through recitation- (Hand Nyasa hail to Slow Mover in the thumbs etc. etc.) (Limb Nyasa hail to Slow Mover in the heart etc.- etc.) The binding of the Directions is Bhur-Bhuvah-Svar.
Meditation Seated on a bow, with a crow pulling His chariot, very dark blue, born of the family of Kashyapa, bearing a bow and arrows, carrying a club, Lord of Saurashtra, with black clothes and a black body, crowned, with a crow as His vehicle, a bowman, with 4 arms, Son of the Sun, always be favourable! Give boons! Hail to You O Saturn, Peaceful One, Giver of the Fruit of All Desires! Hail to You, Self of All! Hail to You, Blue Clothed One! O Lord, destroy all obstacles from transits of 2nd, 12th and 8th houses! Hail to the Son of the Sun, Saturn, black in colour, sombre, like a blue lotus! O Son of the Sun, having heard this hymn, be a desire and fruit giver to me! (Using ‘Lam’ etc one should do mental worship)
Hymn Hail to the Black and Dark Blue One, the colour of a peacock’s throat! Hail to the Skinny, Long Eared and Dull One! Hail to the Large Eyed Drier Up of Water, Lord of Anxiety! Hail to the Masculine One with Rough Hair! Hail and Hail to the Terrible, Terrifying, Fear Inspiring and Formidable One! Hail to the Tall Drier Up, with terrible teeth, hail to You! I bow to Your Terrible Form! Hail to You with the Black Look! I bow to You, Consumer of All! I bow to You, O Monkey Faced One! I bow to You, Son of the Solar Orb, Dispeller of Anxiety! Hail to You, O One with Cast Down Look, Who destroys All! Hail to You, Slow Mover, Immeasurable One, Hail and Hail! Hail to You, Son of the Burning One, Who holds Things Fast! Hail to You of the Wise Gaze, Son of Kashyapa! Satisfied, You give dominion and destroy cruelty immediately! Gods, demons, men, and the faery folk when aspected by You know distress! If You gaze at Brahma, Indra, Yama and the 7 Celestial Saints they fall from dominion! You destroy everything with their offspring! Give me favour, O Saturn! I bow to You!
Thus praised, the King of the Planets, Saturn, most powerful, the hair on his body bristling, the Son of the Sun, said: “Pleased by your hymn, I give you gifts and boons, as I am pleased.” “I free the person with ailments who recites this Hymn in one or two days. Those pure folk who, having bathed, and give offerings of fig leaves, and who should worship My iron image, are freed from death and rebirth.” “One should give Me black bean and sesame and iron as offerings. O Twice-Born One, one should give me black cow or buffalo and black clothes.” “Using this Hymn, one should worship with what is left over. Having worshipped Me thus, one should recite the Hymn, and having done this one should make the Anjali mudra. If performed in this way, I free from ailments forever.” “In transits, in birth charts, and in periods and subperiods I protect continuously from mishaps and the ill effects of other planets. Also by practising this one may become liberated.”
The 108 Names of Saturn O Slow Mover, Angular One, Shadowy Heart, Blissful One, Offspring of the Sun, Solar One, Moving Slowly on a Crow, a Brahmin, acting cruelly, wearing blue clothes and smeared with blue paste, effulgent, black, peaceful younger brother of Lord Dharma, Drier-Up, Boon-Giver, whosoever should recite the 100 Names of Ailments daily in a terrible place gets the great pleasure of the Lord. On a Saturday, the pure Brahmin of controlled senses, having bathed and fasted, worshipping with the correct colour of flowers, giving offerings of food, water and so forth, should recite this Hymn carefully. Lacking a son, one gains a son. Lacking wealth, one becomes wealthy. Lacking in power, one gains power. Defeated, one become victorious. Short-lived, one becomes long-lived. Poor, one becomes rich. Whatever the dear child devoted to the Lord desires — gets all. Having known Lord Saturn one becomes a ruler in one’s own sphere. Having become like this, one gains all.
String of the 108 Names of Saturn Om Hail to the One Moving Slowly The Giver of Peace The Giver of Whatever is Desired Who Grants Protection Most Excellent One Lord of All Auspicious One Worshipped by Gods Destroyer of the Abode of the Gods Seated in Comfortable Asana Beautiful One Dark One One of the Form of Darkness One with Dark Jewels Dense and Hard Harmful One Celestial Firefly Sluggish One in Slow Motion Being with Praiseworthy Qualities The Ray Purifying Mortals Great Lord Shadowy Sun Slaying with Arrows Carrying 100 Arrows With Cardinal and Fixed Signs Who Doesn’t Move About One of Blue Colour Immovable Famous Lord in the Form of All Duty Creator of Conflict on Earth Breaker of Things According to His Inclination With a Diamond Body Giver of Dispassion Heroic One Free from Fear and Desire Lord of Supreme Calamity Worshipped in the Universe With a Crow as His Vehicle Secretive One With Limbs like a Tortoise One of Ugly Form Contemptible One Poetic One Transiting One Destroyer of the Root of Ignorance One in the Form of Knowledge and Ignorance Cause of Long Life Cause of Disaster Devotee of Vishnu Obedient One Knower of Various Types of Knowledge Variously Praised One One Worthy of Worship With Crooked Eyes Reflected in Water Swollen One Carrying a Vajra as Goad Boongiver Dispelling Fear Left Handed One Residing in the Eldest Wife Highest One Cautious One Creator of Misery Giver of Prosperity Praised One Reached by Hymn Calmed by Devotion Belonging to the Sun Son of the Sun Handsome One Pure One In the Bow Mandala Wealth Giver Bowman Body effulgent with Light Tamasic One Worshipped by a person in his last incarnation Giver of Various Results With Knowledge of Various Types of Subduing Magic Lord of Beasts One Who Flies Lord of Those that Move in the Sky One with Dark Blue Gems Austere Minded One One Worshipped by Noble People With a Blue Parasol Eternal One Without Qualities With Qualities Infallible Gladdener Needing Homage Sober One With a Celestial Body Destroyer of the Pain of the Wretched Cause and Destroyer of Misery Honourable One Cruel One Whose Motion is Cruel Cause of Lust and Cruelty Cause of Enmity between Mother and Son Nourisher of the Devoted Destroyer of Great Fear Giver of Desired Fruit to the Mind absorbed in Devotion Namah
Mental Worship Lam I give scent to the Self of Earth Ham I give flowers to the Self of Aether Yam I give incense to the Self of Air Ram I give flame to the Self of Fire Vam I give water to the Self of Water Artwork is © Jan Bailey, 1975-2022. Translations are © Mike Magee 1975-2022.Questions or comments to mike.magee@btinternet.com Home Page |