Guiding Light: Justice for All

Guiding Light: Justice for All

In Kal Yuga, it’s not uncommon to accumulate negative karma, which makes the dispensation of justice seem unpleasant.

Ritesh AswaneyUpdated: Friday, May 19, 2023, 10:58 PM IST
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Image by CQF-avocat from Pixabay

Justice is one of the four cardinal virtues, one that straddles the chasm between selfishness and selflessness, aiming to get it ‘just right’. It is also one of the values enshrined in the preamble of the Indian Constitution, which confers upon us access to social, economic and political justice without the arbitrariness of institutions. Shani Dev (Saturn) is the planetary deity who is associated with the notion of Justice, and we celebrated Shani Jayanti yesterday, which was also an Amavasya, or a no moon day.

Saturn is the slowest moving planet in our solar system, taking about 30 years to complete one revolution around the Sun. This means that as he transits through the 12 zodiac signs in the heavens, his gaze lingers for a long time, which really brings about that deep transformative effect in that specific area of life. It may surprise you to know that Shani is the estranged son of the Sun, and there has always been a palpable tension between son and father. While the Sun is bright and warm, the domain of Saturn is cold and dark, and its pace glacial.

Such is the might of Saturn’s aspect, that even the mighty Ravana, who tried to control the planetary positions to ensure an invincible destiny for his son Meghnad, was wary of it. This worried the devas, however thanks to Shani Dev, who cleverly stuck a foot out causing the planetary balance to shift, Meghnad was denied invincibility. Angered by this, Ravana imprisoned Shani dev, who was rescued by Hanuman, when he came in search of Mata Sita. Indebted for this lifesaving assistance, Shani Dev granted him a boon that worshippers of Hanuman would find relief from their Saturnian problems, which explains this remedy that is still followed to this day.

Shani also represents the junta, the common man, who away from the shade of privilege, tries to carve out a life of modest means. This is therefore an excellent opportunity to give your thanks and perhaps even a little something special to those that serve us, whether that is the maids, or drivers, or labourers who earn their living through toil.

Shani Dev is often feared and grossly misunderstood as being inherently negative. This is mainly down to his duties as a dispenser of justice. When you’re running a Saturnian period in your life, you come face to face with the results of past karma, and that as you can imagine, can be pleasant or unpleasant, depending on your actions. And of course, in Kal Yuga, it’s not uncommon to accumulate negative karma, which makes the dispensation of justice seem unpleasant. So if you want your encounter with Shani Dev to be a pleasant one, live and let live!

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