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AartiShani Dev

Shani Dev Aarti: Jai Jai Shri Shani Dev

By custom sung on: Saturday

Edited by the SanatanBodh editorial teamLast updated: 2 sourcesDrafted with AI, checked against sourcesReport a mistake
Saturday dusk under a peepal tree: a mustard-oil lamp, a Shani stone wet with oil, black sesame and urad
Image: made with AI
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  1. Verse 1

    जय जय श्री शनिदेव भक्तन हितकारी। सूरज के पुत्र प्रभु छाया महतारी॥

    Jay jay Shri shanidev bhaktan hitkari. Sooraj ke putra prabhu chhaya mahtari ||

    Victory, victory to Shri Shani Dev, who works for the good of his devotees. O Lord, you are the son of Surya, and Chhaya is your mother.

  2. Verse 2

    श्याम अंग वक्र-दृष्टि चतुर्भुजा धारी। नीलाम्बर धार नाथ गज की असवारी॥

    Shyam ang vakra-drishti chaturbhuja dhari. Nilambar dhar nath gaj ki asvari ||

    Your body is dark, your gaze is slanted, and you have four arms. O Lord, you wear blue garments and ride an elephant.

  3. Verse 3

    क्रीट मुकुट शीश राजित दिपत है लिलारी। मुक्तन की माला गले शोभित बलिहारी॥

    Krit mukut shish rajit dipat hai lilari. Muktan ki mala gale shobhit balihari ||

    A crown (kirit) shines on your head and your forehead glows. A string of pearls adorns your neck; your devotees give their hearts to this form of yours.

  4. Verse 4

    मोदक मिष्ठान पान चढ़त हैं सुपारी। लोहा तिल तेल उड़द महिषी अति प्यारी॥

    Modak mishthan pan chadhat hain supari. Loha til tel udad mahishi ati pyari ||

    Modaks, sweets, betel leaves and areca nuts are offered to you. Iron, sesame, oil, urad lentils and the she-buffalo (mahishi) are very dear to you; tradition counts these among the gifts given in Shani’s name.

  5. Verse 5

    देव दनुज ऋषि मुनि सुमिरत नर नारी। विश्वनाथ धरत ध्यान शरण हैं तुम्हारी॥

    Dev danuj rishi muni sumirat nar nari. Vishvanath dharat dhyaan sharan hain tumhari ||

    Gods, demons, rishis, sages, men and women all remember you. Vishwanath meditates on you; we have come to your shelter.

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Meaning, sources and more prayers: sanatanbodh.in/en/prayers/shani-aarti/

In short

“Jai Jai Shri Shani Dev Bhaktan Hitkari” is the most widely sung aarti of Shani Dev. It calls him the son of Surya and Chhaya and describes his dark complexion, four arms, blue garments and elephant mount. It is sung especially on Saturdays and on Shani Jayanti, at the end of the worship of Shani Dev.

This is the text on which most sources agree. Some versions differ slightly, for example ‘Surya putra’ in place of ‘Suraj ke putra’, ‘shyam ank’ in place of ‘shyam ang’, ‘sheesh sahaj’ in place of ‘sheesh rajit’, ‘maal’ in place of ‘mala’ and ‘sumarin’ in place of ‘sumirat’. One version gives verse 4 as ‘Modak aur mishthan chadhe, chadhti paan supari. Loha, til, tel, udad mahishi hai ati pyari’, and the last line as ‘Vishwanath dharat dhyan ham hain sharan tumhari’. The last verse carries the name ‘Vishwanath’; it is a name of Shiva and may also be the poet’s signature. No reliable information about the author is available. When sung, the first line (the refrain) is repeated after every verse.

After the aarti, most homes recite: कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारं भुजगेन्द्रहारम्।

Frequently asked questions

When is this Shani Dev aarti sung?

Especially on Saturdays, on Shani Jayanti (Jyeshtha Amavasya), and at the end of the worship of Shani Dev or a visit to a Shani temple.

Who are Shani Dev’s parents?

The aarti calls him the son of Surya, with Chhaya as his mother. The Vishnu Purana (3.2.4) says the same: Surya had three children by Chhaya, Shanaishchara, Savarni Manu and Tapati. Yama is the son of Surya’s wife Sanjna, so Shani is his half-brother.

Which offerings does the aarti mention?

It mentions offering modaks, sweets, betel leaves and areca nuts, and says that iron, sesame, oil, urad lentils and the she-buffalo (mahishi) are dear to Shani. Tradition counts these among the gifts given in Shani’s name.

Who wrote this aarti?

The author is not known. The last verse carries the name ‘Vishwanath’, which is a name of Shiva and may also be the poet’s signature, but there is no reliable information about this.

Sources

  1. Traditional aarti text
  2. Shani’s parents: Vishnu Purana 3.2.4

Something wrong? Report a mistake

Text checked against: drikpanchang.com, bhaktibharat.com, hindi.webdunia.com, sa.wikisource.org