shanisaturnsaneeswaranavagraha

Shani Stotram

Shani Stotram in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Saturdays (Shanivara); ideally trisandhya — at dawn, noon and dusk·📜 Shanaishchara Stotram (Shani Dvadasa-nama Stotram), traditional Navagraha hymn

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Shani Stotram (Shanaishchara Stotram) is a short, much-loved hymn reciting the twelve sacred names of Saturn — Shanaishchara, Chhayabhu, Suryanandana, Yama, Sauri and others — that reveal his nature as the slow-moving, dark-hued son of the Sun and Chhaya, the lame yet just lord of dharma among the planets. Its remarkable promise is spoken by Saturn himself: that whoever recites these twelve names at the three junctions of the day will suffer no affliction from him, whether in transit, over the birth ascendant, or in his planetary periods. It is one of the foremost remedies recited during Sade-Sati and the Shani Dhaiya.

Origin & Story

Shanaishchara Stotram (Shani Dvadasa-nama Stotram), traditional Navagraha hymn · Traditional (Puranic Navagraha literature) · Puranic / Classical

The Shani Stotram belongs to the Navagraha tradition of hymns recited for graha-shanti, the pacification of the nine planets. It gathers the twelve names of Saturn — Shanaishchara the slow-mover, Chhayabhu the son of the shadow-goddess Chhaya, Suryanandana and Sauri the son of the Sun, Yama the just, Panghu the lame, and the dark, collyrium-hued knower of dharma. The hymn's most cherished feature is that its final verse is framed as Saturn's own vow — that he will inflict no suffering on whoever recites these names thrice daily — turning a feared planet into a giver of grace to the devout.

✦ As told in scripture

The stotra is unique in placing a promise in Saturn's own mouth: 'tasya pidam na chaivaham karishyami na samshayah' — 'I will cause him no affliction; there is no doubt' — to anyone who recites his twelve names at dawn, noon and dusk, whether Saturn troubles the chart in transit, over the birth-ascendant, or in his dasha; thus countless devotees recite it through Sade-Sati for relief.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

oṃ śanaiścaraḥ svadhākārī chāyābhūḥ sūryanandanaḥ | mārtaṇḍajo yamaḥ sauriḥ paṅgūśca grahanāyakaḥ || 1||

Meaning:Om. Shanaishchara (the slow-mover), maker of the svadha offering, son of Chhaya, delight of Surya; born of Martanda, Yama (the just), Sauri, the lame one, and the chief of the planets;

Verse 2

brahmaṇyo'krūradharmajño nīlavarṇo'ñjanadyutiḥ | dvādaśaitāni nāmāni trisandhyaṃ yaḥ paṭhennaraḥ || 2||

Meaning:Devoted to the sacred, the non-cruel one, knower of dharma, dark of hue, lustrous as black collyrium — the person who recites these twelve names at the three junctions of the day,

Verse 3

tasya pīḍāṃ nacaivāhaṃ kariṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ | gocare janmalagne ca vāpasvantardaśāsu ca || 3||

Meaning:upon him I (Saturn) will inflict no suffering — there is no doubt — whether in transit (gochara), upon his natal ascendant, or during my sub-periods (antardasha).

Verse 4

|| iti śanaiścarastotram ||

Meaning:Thus ends the Shanaishchara Stotram.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

śanaiścaraḥ🔊Shanaishchara — 'the slow-mover', Saturn, who moves slowly through the zodiac

svadhākārī🔊Maker of the 'svadha' offering (lord of the ancestral rites)

chāyābhūḥ🔊Born of Chhaya (the shadow consort of Surya)

sūryanandanaḥ🔊Son of Surya (the Sun)

mārtaṇḍajaḥ🔊Born of Martanda (the Sun)

yamaḥ🔊Yama — the controller / dispenser of justice (Shani as elder brother of Yama)

sauriḥ🔊Sauri — son of Surya

paṅguḥ🔊The lame one (Saturn's traditional limping gait)

grahanāyakaḥ🔊Leader / chief among the planets

brahmaṇyaḥ🔊Devoted to Brahman / friendly to the pious and to Brahmins

akrūraḥ🔊The non-cruel one (gentle to the righteous, despite his fearsome repute)

dharmajñaḥ🔊Knower of dharma (righteousness and justice)

nīlavarṇaḥ🔊Of dark-blue / black complexion

añjanadyutiḥ🔊Of a lustre like black collyrium (anjana)

dvādaśaitāni nāmāni🔊These twelve names (of Saturn)

trisandhyaṃ yaḥ paṭhet🔊Whoever recites them at the three junctions of the day (dawn, noon, dusk)

tasya pīḍāṃ na kariṣyāmi🔊'I shall not cause him any affliction' (Saturn's own promise)

na saṃśayaḥ🔊There is no doubt

gocare🔊In transit (gochara) over the chart

janmalagne🔊Upon the natal ascendant (birth lagna)

antardaśāsu🔊During the sub-periods (antardasha) of his planetary rule

Benefits of Chanting Shani Stotram

✦

Recites the twelve sacred names of Saturn (Shani Dvadasa-nama) and carries Saturn's own promise of protection from his afflictions.

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One of the foremost remedies (parihara) recited during Sade-Sati (the seven-and-a-half-year Saturn cycle) and the Shani Dhaiya (two-and-a-half-year transit).

✦

Said to soften the hardships of Saturn in transit (gochara), over the natal ascendant, and during his dasha and antardasha.

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Invokes Shani as 'Akrura' (non-cruel), 'Dharmajna' (knower of dharma) and 'Brahmanya' (friend of the pious) — turning the stern judge into a protector of the righteous.

✦

Chanted for patience, perseverance, relief from chronic troubles, delays, debts and obstacles that Saturn governs.

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Brief and easy to memorise, it is ideal for recitation three times a day (trisandhya) as the verse itself prescribes.

✦

Most auspicious when recited on Saturdays (Shanivara), the weekday of Saturn, with sesame oil, black sesame and a lamp.

How to Chant Shani Stotram

Repetitions3times

Best TimeSaturdays (Shanivara); ideally trisandhya — at dawn, noon and dusk

Bathe and sit facing west before an image of Shani or the Navagraha, ideally with a sesame-oil (til) lamp and offerings of black sesame, black cloth, iron or blue/black flowers. The stotra itself prescribes recitation 'trisandhyam' — at the three junctions of the day (dawn, midday and dusk). It is especially recited on Saturdays and throughout Sade-Sati or Shani Dhaiya, and may be repeated 3, 11 or 23 times before a Shani lamp.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Shani Stotram written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

The Shani Stotram (Shanaishchara Stotram) is a short Sanskrit hymn that recites the twelve sacred names of Saturn — such as Shanaishchara, Chhayabhu, Suryanandana, Yama and Sauri. It is one of the most popular prayers for pleasing Saturn and gaining his protection from hardship.

Sade-Sati and the Shani Dhaiya are periods when Saturn transits sensitive points of the chart and his effects are strongly felt. This stotra carries Saturn's own promise to spare from affliction anyone who recites his twelve names at the three junctions of the day, making it a favoured remedy in those periods.

The verse prescribes 'trisandhyam' — recitation three times a day, at dawn, noon and dusk. It is especially recited on Saturdays (Shanivara), the day of Saturn, facing west with a sesame-oil lamp and offerings of black sesame, and is continued through Sade-Sati or a difficult Saturn dasha.

Shani is the planetary deity of Saturn, the slow-moving (shanaih-chara) son of Surya (the Sun) and his shadow-consort Chhaya, and the elder brother of Yama. The twelve names describe his birth, his dark complexion, his limping gait and, importantly, his just and righteous nature (Dharmajna, Akrura) — for to the pious Saturn is a fair judge, not a tormentor.