Decoding Saturn’s Panoti: What You Need to Know

In the intricate tapestry of Indian astrology, few concepts evoke as much anxiety as the Panoti of Shani, or Saturn's Panoti. It is widely believed that this celestial phenomenon ushers in a period of tribulation and misfortune. When an individual's horoscope (kundli) foretells the onset of Shani Panoti, they may feel as though their efforts bear no tangible fruit. However, it would be reductive to view Shani's Panoti merely as a harbinger of bad luck. A nuanced understanding is requisite to fully appreciate its significance.

Let us delve into the term "Panoti." In the venerable and meticulous language of Sanskrit, words are crafted with profound intent and meaning. “Panoti” is derived from "Pan," which denotes a state or condition. For instance, "Bachpan" signifies the state of childhood. Similarly, "Panoti" alludes to a phase in life that compels deep introspection. It urges us to reflect upon our actions, eschew malevolent deeds, and tread the path of righteousness. This period serves as a crucible, fostering the development of virtuous and constructive qualities.

Thus, Panoti transcends the simplistic notion of being a period of doom. It symbolises a transformative epoch that prompts personal growth and the realisation of one’s life purpose.

To fully grasp the concept of Panoti, one must also understand the nature of the planet Saturn. The tale of Saturn’s creation, as elucidated in the Skanda Purana, provides enlightening insights into why Saturn’s alignment precipitates the Panoti phase. Saturn, or Shani, embodies a stern educator, instilling in us the virtues of discipline and responsibility.

Now, to fully understand Panoti, we should also learn about the planet Saturn. The story of Saturn’s creation is described in the Skanda Purana. This story helps explain why Saturn’s position leads to the Panoti period. Saturn, or Shani, is seen as a strict teacher who makes us disciplined and responsible.

In the story, Sun God, marries Sanjana, the daughter of Vishwakarma. Because Su was so bright, Sanjana couldn't even look at him and always had to cover her eyes in his presence.

They had three children: Manu, Yama, and Yamuna. As time went on, Sanjana found it hard to live with the Sun because of his intense brightness. She decided to do penance to increase her own inner strength and heat, hoping it would help her cope. She wanted to receive blessings from Lord Brahma but couldn't leave her family to do so. So, she came up with a plan. Sanjana created a woman named Chhaya, who looked just like her, to take her place while she was away. Here's a verse from the Skanda Purana that talks about this:

“मायामयीं ततश्छायां सवर्णां निर्ममे स्वतः।

प्रान्जलिः प्रणता भूत्वा संज्ञां छाया तदाब्रवीत्।।”

“Māyamayīṃ tataśchāyāṃ savarṇāṃ nirmame svataḥ।

Prāñjalih praṇatā bhūtvā saṃjñāṃ chāyā tadābravīt।।

“Then she created a shadow woman, looking just like herself. With folded hands, Sanjana asked this shadow to take her place.” –Skanda Purana

No one knew that Sanjana had departed to perform penance and had left her shadow, Chhaya, in her place. Chhaya, being a replica of Sanjana, had no difficulty enduring the brightness of Surya Narayan. In due course, Surya Narayan and Chhaya had three children, one ofthem was Shani. When Shani was born, Chhaya was in the midst of her penance, which resulted in Shani was born with a blue-black hue, reflecting the essence of a shadow. Sun God, grew suspicious after seeing Shani, and thought that Shani was his son. Enraged, he spoke harshly to both Shani and Chhaya. Offended by this, Shani glared at his father.

Shani’s duty was to enforce karma, and as Surya Narayan’s karma was lacking, Shani’s glance slowed down the chariot of the Sun. This disturbance caused chaos in the three worlds. Yamaraja then intervened to clarify the misunderstanding between Sun and Shani. Following this event, Lord Vishnu officially named the planet Shani in the presence of all the deities. Surya Narayan had wrongly doubted his wife and son due to his ignorance about Chhaya. Despite not knowing, the severity of his words was unjust, deeming it a sin. Consequently, Shani penalised Sun God by decelerating his chariot. Hence, Lord Vishnu elucidated that the planet Shani, known for its slow movement and its role in delaying aspects of life as a penalty for sins, was aptly named. Veda Vyas provided a profound definition of Shani:

“शनैः शनैः चरति इति शनैश्चरः।”

“Shanai: shanai: charati iti Shanaishchara...”

“The planet that moves slowly and affects people's lives, imposing the results of their actions, is called Shani.”

This entire story of Shani can be found in the form of a Shani pujan mantra in the Matsya Purana. Here is the verse from the Matsya Purana:

“नीलांजन-सामाभासं रविपुत्रं यमाग्रजम्।छाया-मार्तण्ड-सम्भूतं तं नमामि शनैश्चरम्।।”

“Neelanjana-samaabhaasam Raviputram Yamagrajam,Chhaya-martanda-sambhootam Tam Namaami Shanaishcharam.”

So, basically, Shani's influence slows down our lives and gives us the results of our actions. We often dislike slow progress or delays in life, and therefore, we view Shani's influence as inauspicious or bad. But, in reality, Shani's impact is just the outcome of our own deeds.

Types of Saturn’s Panoti

There are two types of Shani’s Panoti: the Long Panoti, also known as Sade Sati - 7.5 years and the Short Panoti, also known as Dhaiya of 2.5 years.Let’s understand. Shani (Saturn) occupies one zodiac sign for 2.5 years. Sade Sati Panoti starts when Shani enters the sign before your zodiac moon sign and ends when it leaves the sign after your zodiac moon sign.

For example, if your moon sign is Gemini:-

l Sade Sati starts when Saturn enters Taurus. l It continues while Saturn is in Gemini. l It ends when Saturn leaves Cancer.

So, 2.5 years in Taurus, 2.5 years in Gemini, and 2.5 years in Cancer make up the Sade Sati period for someone with Gemini as their moon sign. Now, Dhaiya begins when Shani transits into the fourth or eighth house from the moon sign in your horoscope. For example, if your moon sign is Gemini, you will experience Dhaiya when Saturn enters Virgo (fourth house) or Capricorn (eighth house).

Period of shani panoti

In the Padma Purana, there's a story that explains what happens during Shani Panoti, a challenging astrological period. In this story, King Dasharatha, Lord Rama's father, speaks to Shani and says:

“ज्ञानचक्षुर्नमस्तेऽस्तु कश्यपात्मज सूनवे।”

“Jñānachakṣurnamaste'stu Kaśyapātmaja sūnave.” –Padma Purana

By interpreting this verse, we learn that during Shani Panoti, our intelligence and vision are often clouded. We start seeing faults in everything and everyone. However, by remaining vigilant and thinking carefully before taking any action, we can still find happiness during Shani Panoti. Patience and thoughtful actions are key. Shani (Saturn) rewards those who work slowly and with thorough contemplation. If you do things thoughtfully, Shani's negative effects will be minimal. For some, if they act carefully and wisely, this period can even feel like a blessing, similar to Raj Yoga.

The Padma Purana clearly warns that even a wealthy person can become a beggar by engaging in illogical or illegal actions during Shani Panoti. The verse states:ˍ

“तुष्टो ददासि वै राज्यं रुष्टौ वै हरसि क्षणात्।।”

“Tushto dadasi vai rajyam, rushtau vai harasi kshanat.”

“If pleased, you grant prosperity, but

if angered, you take it away in an instant.” – Padma Purana

This means Shani can grant prosperity if pleased but can also take it away in an instant if angered. So, to navigate Shani Panoti successfully, it's essential to be prudent and patient in all endeavours.

To get the best results we should do our duties well, follow all rules, work steadily, and develop good qualities. Brihaspati Samhita clearly says there's no good or bad time—each time has its own energy. If we work in harmony with that energy, the time will be beneficial for us. Otherwise, it could bring bad results.

“स्वभावादेव कालोऽयं शुभाशुभसमन्वितः।

अनादिनिधनः सर्वो न निर्दोषो न निर्गुणः।”

“Svabhavadeva kalo'yam shubhashubhasamanvitah. Anadinidhanah sarvo na nirdosho na nirgunah."

“By nature, time includes both good and bad aspects. It has no start or end, no faults or specific qualities.”

(Ashish Mehta is Astro Vastu Consultant, Author, Speaker, and Vedic Life Coach)

Published on: Saturday, July 20, 2024, 12:00 AM IST