Shani Stotram Meaning — Line by Line

शनि स्तोत्रम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

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Meaning — Line by Line

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

Verse 1#

ॐ शनैश्चरः स्वधाकारी छायाभूः सूर्यनन्दनः । मार्तण्डजो यमः सौरिः पङ्गूश्च ग्रहनायकः ॥ १॥

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

MeaningOm. 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#

ब्रह्मण्योऽक्रूरधर्मज्ञो नीलवर्णोऽञ्जनद्युतिः । द्वादशैतानि नामानि त्रिसन्ध्यं यः पठेन्नरः ॥ २॥

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

MeaningDevoted 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#

तस्य पीडां नचैवाहं करिष्यामि न संशयः । गोचरे जन्मलग्ने च वापस्वन्तर्दशासु च ॥ ३॥

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

Meaningupon 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#

॥ इति शनैश्चरस्तोत्रम् ॥

|| iti śanaiścarastotram ||

MeaningThus ends the Shanaishchara Stotram.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

शनैश्चरः

śanaiścaraḥ

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

स्वधाकारी

svadhākārī

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

छायाभूः

chāyābhūḥ

Born of Chhaya (the shadow consort of Surya)

सूर्यनन्दनः

sūryanandanaḥ

Son of Surya (the Sun)

मार्तण्डजः

mārtaṇḍajaḥ

Born of Martanda (the Sun)

यमः

yamaḥ

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

सौरिः

sauriḥ

Sauri — son of Surya

पङ्गुः

paṅguḥ

The lame one (Saturn's traditional limping gait)

ग्रहनायकः

grahanāyakaḥ

Leader / chief among the planets

ब्रह्मण्यः

brahmaṇyaḥ

Devoted to Brahman / friendly to the pious and to Brahmins

अक्रूरः

akrūraḥ

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

धर्मज्ञः

dharmajñaḥ

Knower of dharma (righteousness and justice)

नीलवर्णः

nīlavarṇaḥ

Of dark-blue / black complexion

अञ्जनद्युतिः

añjanadyutiḥ

Of a lustre like black collyrium (anjana)

द्वादशैतानि नामानि

dvādaśaitāni nāmāni

These twelve names (of Saturn)

त्रिसन्ध्यं यः पठेत्

trisandhyaṃ yaḥ paṭhet

Whoever recites them at the three junctions of the day (dawn, noon, dusk)

तस्य पीडां न करिष्यामि

tasya pīḍāṃ na kariṣyāmi

'I shall not cause him any affliction' (Saturn's own promise)

न संशयः

na saṃśayaḥ

There is no doubt

गोचरे

gocare

In transit (gochara) over the chart

जन्मलग्ने

janmalagne

Upon the natal ascendant (birth lagna)

अन्तर्दशासु

antardaśāsu

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

Origin & History

Source: Shanaishchara Stotram (Shani Dvadasa-nama Stotram), traditional Navagraha hymn

Author: Traditional (Puranic Navagraha literature)

Period: 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Shani Stotram?▼

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.

Why is the Shani Stotram recited during Sade-Sati?▼

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.

How and when should the Shani Stotram be chanted?▼

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.

Who is Shani and why so many names?▼

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.

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