Shani Mantra Meaning — Line by Line

शनि मन्त्र

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

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Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Shani Mantra with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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Verse 1. Om sham shanaishcharaya namah
Verse 2. Om pram prim praum sah shanaishcharaya namah
Verse 3. Om kakadhvajaya vidmahe khadgahastaya dhimahi
Verse 4. Nilanjanasamabhasam raviputram yamagrajam
Verse 5. Konasthah pingalo babhruh krishno raudrontako yamah
Verse 6. Etani dasha namani pratarutthaya yah pathet

Verse 1#

ॐ शं शनैश्चराय नमः ॥

Om sham shanaishcharaya namah

MeaningOm Sham — salutations to Shanaishchara (Lord Saturn). The simple one-syllable (Sham) seed-salutation to Shani, chanted daily for his grace.

Verse 2#

ॐ प्रां प्रीं प्रौं सः शनैश्चराय नमः ॥

Om pram prim praum sah shanaishcharaya namah

MeaningOm 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.

Verse 3#

ॐ काकध्वजाय विद्महे खड्गहस्ताय धीमहि । तन्नो मन्दः प्रचोदयात् ॥

Om kakadhvajaya vidmahe khadgahastaya dhimahi Tanno mandah prachodayat

MeaningOm, 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.)

Verse 4#

नीलाञ्जनसमाभासं रविपुत्रं यमाग्रजम् । छायामार्तण्डसम्भूतं तं नमामि शनैश्चरम् ॥

Nilanjanasamabhasam raviputram yamagrajam Chhayamartandasambhutam tam namami shanaishcharam

MeaningResembling 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.)

Verse 5#

कोणस्थः पिङ्गलो बभ्रुः कृष्णो रौद्रोऽन्तको यमः । सौरिः शनैश्चरो मन्दः पिप्पलादेन संस्तुतः ॥

Konasthah pingalo babhruh krishno raudrontako yamah Saurih shanaishcharo mandah pippaladena samstutah

MeaningKonastha (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.)

Verse 6#

एतानि दश नामानि प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत् । शनैश्चरकृता पीडा न कदाचिद्भविष्यति ॥

Etani dasha namani pratarutthaya yah pathet Shanaishcharakrita pida na kadachidbhavishyati

MeaningWhoever rises at dawn and recites these ten names of Shani — the affliction wrought by Shanaishchara shall never befall him.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

शनैश्चर

Shanaishchara

The slow-mover — Saturn, who moves slowest among the grahas; god of karma and justice

प्रां प्रीं प्रौं सः

Praam Preem Praum Sah

The seed (beej) syllables of the Shani mantra

काकध्वज

Kakadhvaja

The crow-bannered one — the crow is Shani's emblem and mount

नीलाञ्जन

Nilanjana

Blue collyrium (kajal) — describing Shani's dark, blue-black lustre

पिप्पलाद

Pippalada

The sage whose ten-name hymn pacifies Shani's affliction

मन्द

Manda

The slow one — another name of Saturn

Origin & History

Source: Traditional Navagraha mantras; Nilanjan dhyana and Pippalada ten-names from the Puranic tradition

Author: Traditional (ten names attributed to sage Pippalada)

Period: 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Shani mantra and what does it mean?▼

The principal Shani mantra is the Beej Mantra 'Om Praam Preem Praum Sah Shanaishcharaya Namah', a salutation to Shanaishchara (Saturn). The page also gives the Shani Gayatri, the Nilanjan Samabhasam dhyana verse, and Pippalada's ten-name mantra — all chanted to please Saturn, the lord of karma and justice.

How many times should the Shani beej mantra be chanted?▼

It is chanted in multiples of 108 (one mala) daily, especially on Saturdays. The traditional full remedial count for strengthening Saturn is 23,000 repetitions completed over time.

What is the Nilanjan Samabhasam mantra?▼

'Nilanjana-samabhasam ravi-putram yamagrajam, chhaya-martanda-sambhutam tam namami shanaishcharam' is the famous Shani dhyana verse: 'Resembling blue collyrium, son of the Sun and elder brother of Yama, born of Chhaya and the Sun — I bow to Shanaishchara.' It is recited to meditate on Shani's form.

Which day and time is best for the Shani mantra?▼

Saturday (Shanivar) is Shani's day — at sunrise or dusk. Shani Jayanti and Shani Amavasya are especially powerful. Lighting a mustard or sesame-oil lamp and offering black sesame and urad enhances the worship.

Can the Shani mantra help during Sade Sati?▼

Yes — the Shani beej mantra and the ten-name mantra are classic remedies during Sade Sati (the 7½-year Saturn transit) and Dhaiya, believed to soften Saturn's trials and grant patience, justice and relief when chanted regularly with sincerity.

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