The Shani Dev – one of the nine Navagraha or planets

ShaniDev is one of the (Planet)”Navagraha ”which are the nine primary celestial beings in Hindu astrology, or Mtyhs. The word Shani (Saturday) also denotes the Seventh day or Saturday in most Indian languages.

Shanaye Kramati – the one who moves slowly, as Saturn takes about 30 years to rotate around the Sun. Shani is also known as Shanaiscarya, Shani Bhagavan, Shaneesvara, Saneesvara, Shaneesvaran, Shani Deva.

Shani is a Lord and son of Surya (the Sun God) and his wife Chhaya (goddess of Shadow) and hence also known as Chayyaputra. He is the cousin of Yama, the Hindu God of death. It is said that when he opened his eyes as a baby for the very first time, the sun went into an eclipse, which clearly denotes the impact of Shani on astrological charts. He is known as the greatest teacher. He is known in Hindu scriptures as the greatest trouble maker as well as the greatest well wisher. He is depicted dark in colour, wearing cloths in black, holding a sword, arrows and two daggers and variously mounted on a black vulture or a raven.