Saturn’s Birthday (Shani Jayanthi) is celebrated each year on a New Moon day between mid-May to mid-June. In 2021, it is on June 9/10.
“Saturn is the most important planet as he is the one who matures the soul.” ~ Dr. Pillai
Saturn’s Birthday (Shani Jayanthi) is celebrated each year on a New Moon day between mid-May to mid-June. In 2021, the special New Moon when we honor Saturn’s Birthday is on June 9 in North America and June 10 in India.
The birthday of all archetypes is a joyous occasion as the light and blessings of every archetype is more easily available on that day. Saturn’s birthday is a time to appreciate and treasure the positive attributes of Saturn.
Saturn is the planet that enables us to have structure in our lives. He helps us develop and grow in many important qualities such as:
- Patience
- Discipline
- Good Work Ethic
- Organization
- Perseverance
- Humility
- Compassion
A simple mantra for Saturn that Dr. Pillai has shared for everyone to use is:
Om Sanecharaya Namaha
Saturn’s Location on His Birthday in 2021
In 2021 Saturn will be retrograde on his birthday. He will be sitting in the Zodiac sign of Capricorn, a sign he rules. He will be in the star of Shravana, a star of prosperity.
Saturn in Zodiac Sign of Capricorn
Capricorn is an Earth sign. Saturn’s energies here can help us become more stable, grounded, and practical. Capricorn is symbolized in the Vedic system with the head of a deer and the body of a crocodile. Crocodiles have not changed their form since dinosaur days, so there is an association of ancient past life karmas with this sign. We can ask Saturn’s blessings to help us clear up all ancient negative past life karmic patterns as well as to activate the positive benefits of good deeds done in our long ago past.
Both the deer and the crocodile are animals with tremendous patience and stillness. People who have important decisions to make can ask Saturn’s help in becoming deeply quiet and still so that they have a genuine clarity to do the right thing.
Saturn in Star of Shravana:
According to Dr. Pillai, Shravana is a star of money. Shravana is ruled by Vishnu who has several specialties, including wealth-creation. It is said Vishnu rides on a great eagle called Garuda.
Shravana is also associated with listening. We can ask Saturn to empower us to listen to others at a deeper level, to hear what is in their heart, not just their words. We can also request Saturn to help us listen to our own intuition more carefully, especially in the area of money. Dr. Pillai has said when Saturn wants to bless us no other planet can interfere.
Saturn Retrograde:
According to ancient texts, Saturn becomes stronger when he is retrograde. During his retrograde period, he can be more generous with positive blessings. Saturn will continue retrograde until October 10, 2021 in both North America and India. Saturn is considered the “planet of democracy” and the “planet of the workers.” He may highlight concerns of everyday citizens during this time.
We can ask Saturn to shower us with fresh inspiration to be of service to others, to be fair to everyone and to be sincerely respectful toward all those who do work that aids our daily lives. Saturn retrograde is a time that can help us go deeper with the prayer to “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Note: Pillai Center has various weekly free community events. Currently the Religion of Religions channel on YouTube offers Saturday weekly program in North America and India about Living My Lord’s Prayer.
Saturn’s Birthday Beneficial for People Currently Under Saturn’s Influence
Saturn does have a job to activate some of our karmic lessons. He is just and fair. Any karma he is activating is something we created ourselves from ignorance or illusion. As we clean up our karma and begin to live a life more of service and compassion for others, he can release more of his blessings.
He also has a role to play in crushing our ego. Dr. Pillai has explained when he takes away our ego, he is taking away something that never really belonged to us in the first place. Without humility, all spiritual progress stops. We can be thankful to Saturn when humbling experiences come our way. Humility helps keep us on our spiritual path.
Some people experience times of influence from Saturn as challenging. Other people may experience some major transformations during times that Saturn has impact on them. Participation in Saturn’s birthday can give some relief for people who are experiencing extra tests from Saturn right now. In addition, observing Saturn’s birthday can bring added boons from Saturn into our lives.
During certain times, Saturn is more “activated” to work with specific people. Some of these Saturn activation conditions may apply either to us or to a family member or to a friend:
- If Saturn is a current major (dasa) or minor (bhukti) planet of influence
Throughout our lives, different planets take turns being our major and our minor planet of influence. This is mathematically calculated based on our birth chart. During their times of influence, the planets activate the sign and house they sit in within our birth chart as well as any signs or houses in our birth chart that they rule. If you do not know if Saturn is either your current major or minor planet of influence, you can run a free Dasa Bhukti report at AstroVed, Dr. Pillai’s astrology site.
- If Saturn is triggering Sade Sati
Saturn takes about 2 ½ years to move through a Zodiac sign.
Sade Sati is a time with 3 phases of Saturn’s influence. When Saturn is transiting in the current sky (1) through a Zodiac sign that is one sign before the placement of the Moon in our birth chart, (2) directly over our Moon sign and (3) one sign after our Moon sign, that entire 7 ½ year period is called Sade Sati. At any given point of time, approximately one quarter of the population is experiencing Sade Sati.
During Saturn’s Birthday in 2021, people with the Moon in Sagittarius, Capricorn or Aquarius in their Vedic birth chart are currently in Sade Sati.
- If Saturn is currently sitting 8 houses or 4 houses away from someone’s Moon sign in their birth chart:
When Saturn transits into a Zodiac sign that is either 8 houses or 4 houses away from the Moon sign in someone’s birth chart, Saturn actively puts more focus on the mind and emotions of that person. Many people like to do some extra remedies for Saturn during such a period.
For Saturn’s Birthday in 2021, this means:
– People with Moon in Gemini in the birth chart currently have Saturn sitting 8 houses away from their Moon sign.
– People with Moon in Libra in the birth chart currently have Saturn sitting 4 houses away from their Moon sign.
- If Saturn is returning to the same spot in the Zodiac as he is in someone’s birth chart:
Saturn takes about 29 years to travel through the entire Zodiac and return to the same spot he was in when a person was born.
People who are aged 29, 58, 87, etc. are experiencing a year of “Saturn return”. During a “Saturn return” year, Saturn assists a person to recapitulate the previous 29 years and consolidate the power of those experiences. Consciously cooperating with Saturn’s efforts during this year can help a person to springboard into the next chapter of 29 years.
For many people who meditate and do spiritual practice, a “Saturn return” year can be a time of amazing evolution and change.
Saturn’s Birthday: Home Remedies
During any of the Saturn-related time periods mentioned above, many people like to do some home remedies for Saturn. In addition, any of us can include these in our celebration for Saturday’s birthday:
- Wear something either black or dark blue (Saturn’s colors) on Saturdays (Saturn’s day)
- Light a sesame oil for Saturn (while other archetypes like a ghee lamp, Saturn is very fond of sesame oil lamp)
- Offer Saturn black sesame seeds (the grain associated with Saturn)
- Feed crows or blacks birds, if this is allowed in your local area (Saturn is said to ride a crow as his vehicle)
- Do extra chanting of Saturn’s mantra: Om Sanecharaya Namaha
- Offer dark blue or purple flowers to Saturn’s picture, statue, or yantra
- Listen to or recite a hymn called Hanuman Chalisa on Saturday (Hanuman is the archetype who is the overlord of Saturn). There are several beautiful recordings on YouTube.
- Do some act of compassion for someone in need
- Read The Greatness of Saturn by Robert Svoboda
- Read the 108 names of Saturn and the commentaries on them in the Saturn chapter of Yoga of the Planets: Their Mantras and Philosophy by Andrew Foss
Saturn in Science News
While Saturn’s rings are only visible to us through a telescope, he can sometimes be seen with the naked eye. From our view on Earth, Saturn looks like a yellowish-white “star” of moderate brightness.
Right now he is easier to see in Capricorn in the early mornings until August 1, 2021. Then he will be more on display in the evening hours August 2, 2021 until December 31, 2021.
In some areas, astronomy clubs will sponsor evenings where the general public can come out and look at the planets and stars through telescopes set up by members of the astronomy club. Many people like to take advantage of such evenings. It is always a thrill to see Saturn and his rings through a telescope!
For Saturn’s Birthday, 2021, We Give Thanks to a Great Teacher and Friend
On Saturn’s Birthday, we can reflect with genuine gratitude on the assistance Lord Saturn gives us with our evolution. He is truly a great teacher and friend. He helps us lose our self-importance and grow in actively being of service to others.
For 2021 Pillai Center is offering various remedies for participation in Saturn’s Birthday.
Saturn always likes it when we perform acts of compassion. On Saturn’s birthday, we can do an act of kindness for others such as feed a hungry person or help an elderly or a disabled person or make a donation to Dr. Pillai’s charity Tripura Foundation or any other charity of our choice.
May Saturn’s blessings of purity and humility flow into us and empower positive changes in both our material and our spiritual lives.
Swamini Valli Wells is a Pillai Center Teacher who hosts free weekly Atomic Dreaming calls. She is also an AstroVed Astrologer who does Live Astrologer Consultations for the USD version of AstroVed, Dr. Pillai’s astrology site.
