2 Maha Sani Pradoshams while Saturn is Exalted

Two of the most powerful Pradoshams of 2014 occurred on Saturday April 12th and Saturday April 26th. When Pradosham falls on Saturday (Sani) it has unique properties that enhances karma removal power. 

Photographs of April 26, 2014 Pradosham at Arunachaleswarar Temple.

Nandi milk abhishekam

According to Hindu astrology Saturn is known to affect one adversely on occasions when it placed in a certain position in one's horoscope. A prayer to God, especially on Saturdays, is said to mitigate one’s hardships. Thus, it is believed that by observing a Vrata (vow) and offering prayers to Lord Shiva on Shani Pradosham, one can escape from the ill effects of Lord Shan (one of the Navagrahas or nine celestial Gods). 

Nandi being bathed with vibhutti

Pradosham fast is observed from sunrise to sunset and ends with the evening puja. Since the name Pradosham literally means ‘a period just before sunset and after sunset’, the Pradosham period for prayers is from 1.5 hours before sunset and 1 hour after sunset. While most devotees prefer observing a strict fast by refraining from food and drinking only water, some devotees practice a partial fast by consuming fruits and water. 

Tumeric wash for Nandi

Nonetheless, the strictness of the fast totally depends on the devotees. Even after offering the evening prayers, devotees eat only the Prasad and recommence with eating proper food only the next morning. During the day of the fast, devotees visit Shiva temples and offer pujas and chant mantras. 

Offering aarti to God

On Pradosham Day Puja is performed on Pradosham kaal. This Pradosham kaal is exactly for 2 hours and 24 minutes. Pradosham kaal means twilight period. The twilight period starts approximately 1.5 hours before sunset and ends 1 hour after the sunset. During this period, the devotees believe that God Shiva and Parvati are most happy and will satisfy prayers asked during the puja. 

Performing circumambulation inside Temple Compound

The Gods on Nandi in procession at Big Temple

Lord Annamalaiyar and the Goddess

Legend of Sani Pradosham 

Sani Pradosham, the Pradosham which falls on a Saturday, corresponds to the planet Saturn and is associated with the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. 

According to legend, there was a ruler of Ujjain called Chandrasen, who was a pious devotee of Shiva and worshipped him continuously. He was blessed with a celestial gem which could create miracles. Rivals of Ujjain, King Ripudaman and King Singhaditya of neighbouring kingdoms decided to attack Ujjain to appropriate the celestial gem. King Chandransena unaware of the impending attack was involved in his worship of Lord Shiva. A farmer's boy (Shrikhar), walking on the grounds of the palace heard the king chant Lord Shiva's name. However on being discovered by the King’s guards, the farmer’s boy was removed from the palace grounds and sent to the outskirts of the city near the river Kshipra. 

Shrikhar (the farmer’s boy) continued to pray and news spread to a priest named Vridhi. Who upon the urgent pleas of his sons, also started to pray to Lord Shiva. The attack by the enemies of the King occurred on a Saturday and with the help of the powerful demon Dushan, (blessed by the God Brahma to be invisible), the invading Kings plundered the city and attacked the inhabitants, who were all Shiva devotees. Upon hearing the pleas of his helpless devotees, Shiva appeared in his Mahakal (form of light) and destroyed the enemies of King Chandrasen. 

Upon the request of his devotees Shrikhar and Vridhi, Shiva agreed to reside in the city and become the chief deity of that kingdom. From that day on, (at that place) Shiva resided in his light form as Mahakal in a Lingam that was formed on its own from the powers of Shiva and Parvati. 

It is believed that people worshipping Shiva on Sani Pradosham will be free from the fear of death and diseases and have an increase in their worldly wealth. 

To learn more about Sani Pradosham at Arunachaleswarar Temple, go to this link here.

Varuna Japam, April 28, 2014

Varuna japam and yagam at Arunachaleswarar Temple was performed on April 28, 2014. The rendition of Varuna Japa whilst immersed in the Arunachaleswarar tank, is a ritual meant to propitiate the rain god (Varuna) to bestow copious rain and banish famine, is also aimed at appeasing the Almighty to ensure common good and world peace.

Homam to propitate the rain Gods

Priests at Temple Tank

Immersion whilst performing Japam

Darshan of Arunachala whilst chanting

Varuna Japa comprises many rituals. Some scholars stand for hours in chest deep water in a Temple tank whilst chanting the Varuna mantra or other mantras. Some perform abhisheka to the Lord's processional deities, others conduct homam to propitiate the rain Gods, do japa or recite the Vedas and sanstras. 

God Varuna 

Varuna in the Vedas is a powerful God. He is the guardian of cosmic order (rta=rhythm=ruth=truth) and in charge of the oceans, water sources and rains. He is worshipped by seagoing people and fishermen. His vahana (vehicle) is shark fish or crocodile. Tamils have always believed in his control over rains and worshipped him for rains. In this respect one of the oldest Tamil book “Tolkappiam” says he is the God of littoral areas/Neithal. 

Lord Varuna with crocodile vahana (vehicle)

On another level Varuna is in charge of West direction, (Lord Indra controls East). Mitra and Varuna are paired in Vedic hymns which to the belief of interpreting them as Day and Night, Sun and Moon, Light and Dark, and Positive and Negative energy. The Tamil saint Agastya (who made a grammar of the Tamil Language) is considered to be the son of Varuna and Urvasi. 

In Valluvar’s Tirukkural, it is said: 

Couplet 18 "If rains fail, festivals of the year and the daily worship of the gods will cease". 

Couplet 19: "Charity and devotional practices will not be observed in the world unless rain falls." 

Extract from article by London Swaminathan 

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Below is an audio of the proper chanting of Varuna Japam.





Amurya upa surye
Yabhirva surya saha
Ta no hinvantvadhvaram

Apo devirupa hvaye
Yatra ghava pibanti na
Sindubhya kartva havi


May waters gathered near the Sun, and those wherewith the Sun is joined, speed forth this sacrifice of ours. I call the Waters, Goddesses, wherein our cattle quench their thirst; oblations to the Streams to be given.


Tat tva yami brahmaa
Vandamanastada saste
Yajamano havirbhi

Ahe amano varueha
Bodhyurusasa ma na
Ayupra moi


I ask this of thee with my prayer adoring; thy worshipper craves this with his oblation. Varuna, stay thou here and be not angry; steal not our life from us, O thou world-ruler.

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The Science of Mantra

Below is an extract from an illuminating and fascinating exposition on the physics and metaphysics of sound (mantras) by the late Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi. 

"If the divisions of labour on a hereditary basis is good for all society, what specifically is the benefit gained from the vocation of Brahmins, that is preserving the Vedas?" is a question frequently asked. 

The potter makes pots for you; the washerman launders your clothes; the weaver weaves clothes for you to wear; the cowherd brings you your milk; the peasant tills the land to grow rice for you to cook and eat. Everyone does some work or other essential in the life of everybody else. The rice (or wheat ) grown by the tiller sustains us all. The cloth woven by the weaver is indispensable to our modesty, it is also needed to keep us warm in the cold season. We drink the milk brought by the cowherd and also use it to make buttermilk; we cook our food in the pot made by the potter. We find that all jatis provide commodities useful for the society. What is the Brahmin's contribution in this context? What vocation is assigned to him by the Sastras which are the basis of varna dharma? 

To read more of this narrative go to this link here.