Shani Mantra
शनि मन्त्र
Origin & Story
Traditional Navagraha mantras; Nilanjan dhyana and Pippalada ten-names from the Puranic tradition · Traditional (ten names attributed to sage Pippalada) · Ancient
Shani — the planet Saturn — is the son of Surya (the Sun) and Chhaya, and the elder brother of Yama, the lord of death. As the slowest-moving graha and the great judge of the Navagrahas, he weighs each soul's karma and returns it exactly, which is why his Sade Sati is feared. The sages gave mantras to win his grace: the seed mantra for daily japa, the Gayatri for invocation, the Nilanjan verse for meditation, and the ten names compiled by the sage Pippalada — said to shield the reciter from every affliction Shani can send.
✦ As told in scripture
When the sage Pippalada's father was tormented by Shani, Pippalada is said to have praised Saturn with these ten names and won the boon that whoever recites them at dawn would never suffer Shani's affliction. To this day devotees in Sade Sati chant the Shani beej and ten-name mantras each Saturday and report their heaviest trials turning, in time, to discipline and lasting fortune.
Complete Text with Meaning
ॐ शं शनैश्चराय नमः ॥
Om sham shanaishcharaya namah
Meaning:Om Sham — salutations to Shanaishchara (Lord Saturn). The simple one-syllable (Sham) seed-salutation to Shani, chanted daily for his grace.
ॐ प्रां प्रीं प्रौं सः शनैश्चराय नमः ॥
Om pram prim praum sah shanaishcharaya namah
Meaning:Om Praam Preem Praum Sah — salutations to Shanaishchara. This is the Shani Beej (seed) Mantra, traditionally japa-chanted 23,000 times as a remedy for an afflicted Saturn.
ॐ काकध्वजाय विद्महे खड्गहस्ताय धीमहि । तन्नो मन्दः प्रचोदयात् ॥
Om kakadhvajaya vidmahe khadgahastaya dhimahi Tanno mandah prachodayat
Meaning:Om, may we know the crow-bannered one (Shani); may we meditate on him who bears the sword. May that Manda (Saturn) inspire and impel us. (The Shani Gayatri Mantra.)
नीलाञ्जनसमाभासं रविपुत्रं यमाग्रजम् । छायामार्तण्डसम्भूतं तं नमामि शनैश्चरम् ॥
Nilanjanasamabhasam raviputram yamagrajam Chhayamartandasambhutam tam namami shanaishcharam
Meaning:Resembling the lustre of blue collyrium (kajal), the son of the Sun (Ravi) and the elder brother of Yama, born of Chhaya and Martanda (the Sun) — to that Shanaishchara I bow. (The famous Shani dhyana verse.)
कोणस्थः पिङ्गलो बभ्रुः कृष्णो रौद्रोऽन्तको यमः । सौरिः शनैश्चरो मन्दः पिप्पलादेन संस्तुतः ॥
Konasthah pingalo babhruh krishno raudrontako yamah Saurih shanaishcharo mandah pippaladena samstutah
Meaning:Konastha (dweller in the corner), Pingala (the tawny), Babhru (the brown), Krishna (the dark), Raudra (the fierce), Antaka (the ender), Yama, Sauri (son of the Sun), Shanaishchara (the slow-mover) and Manda (the slow) — thus is he praised by the sage Pippalada. (The ten names of Shani.)
एतानि दश नामानि प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत् । शनैश्चरकृता पीडा न कदाचिद्भविष्यति ॥
Etani dasha namani pratarutthaya yah pathet Shanaishcharakrita pida na kadachidbhavishyati
Meaning:Whoever rises at dawn and recites these ten names of Shani — the affliction wrought by Shanaishchara shall never befall him.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Shani Mantra
The Shani Beej Mantra (Om Praam Preem Praum Sah Shanaishcharaya Namah) is the core remedy for a weak or afflicted Saturn, Sade Sati, Dhaiya and Shani Mahadasha.
Recited to gain Shani's blessings of discipline, justice, patience and steady, lasting success, and to soften his harsh karmic lessons.
The Nilanjan Samabhasam dhyana verse is chanted to meditate upon Shani's form before japa; the ten-name (Pippalada) mantra is said to ward off all Shani-caused suffering when read at dawn.
Believed to relieve obstacles, delays, debts, joint pain, legal troubles and the hardships of an ill-placed Saturn.
Most powerful on Saturday (Shanivar), Shani Jayanti and Shani Amavasya, ideally with a mustard/sesame-oil lamp.
The beej mantra is chanted in multiples of 108; the traditional remedial count is 23,000 repetitions over time.
How to Chant Shani Mantra
On Saturday after bathing, sit facing west and light a lamp of mustard or sesame (til) oil, ideally before Shani Dev or under a Peepal tree. Offer black sesame, urad dal and blue/black flowers. Chant the Shani Beej Mantra 'Om Praam Preem Praum Sah Shanaishcharaya Namah' 108 times on an iron or rudraksha mala, then recite the Nilanjan Samabhasam dhyana and the ten names. Reciting the ten names at dawn daily is said to keep Shani's affliction away.