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Śani (Saturn) The Guru
In Hebrew, the word for Saturn is shabtai. The day on which Hebrews worship is called Shabbat.
"The Holy Sabbath is actually the worship of the planet Saturn. Those who "keep the Sabbath," are carrying on the ancient worship of Saturn. That is why he is worshipped on Saturn's Day -- which today we call 'Saturday.'" (http://www.whale.to/c/sabbath.html)
Hebrew Name: Shabbatai
Hebrew Meaning: To cease; to rest
Saturn, with its huge rings, seven of them, was known in Talmudic Hebrew literature as a representation of the Shabbat (Sabbath). It earned this reputation because of its prolonged orbit around the Sun. Shabbatai was the seventh planetary body known to the ancient Jews. Seven is a special number of rest and is addressed in Jewish numerology. (http://philologos.org/bpr/files/sky_signs/ss028.htm)
In Sanskrit, the word shabad, sometimes spelled shabda, means sound, or name. In Vedic tradition it is believed that from the original source, Brahman, emanated the primordial sound (shabda) Om, and thereby brought the spiritual and material worlds into manifestation.
If this “original source” could be related to or likened to something visible, it would be the Sun. From the supreme, original light emanated the highest vibration as spirit (breath/prana) down to the lowest vibration as matter (densified vibration).
In Vedic tradition, Saturn is known by various names:
Asita: Dark
Arkaputra: Son of the Sun
Śani – slow moving
The Hebrew word for Saturn is related to the word “cease” or “rest”, and one of the Sanskrit words for Saturn means slow-moving – both of these terms are related conceptually to the phenomenon of slowed vibration – the point at which energy densifies into matter.
As the Sun symbolizes the Golden light of limitless and free-flowing source, Saturn symbolizes the lead of densified matter that has crystallized into form. Also known as Chronos, Saturn is the symbol of time, structure, and form.
"In Hinduism, Saturn has been pictured as a very cruel God, who rides a crow (or a vulture), if He is unhappy with someone, He gives the person difficult lessons through much grief, pain, and making him face a difficult and cruel reality. In Jyotish, a majority of unfavourable 'yogas' (planetary combinations) in the chart/horoscope involve Saturn.
Saturn is a planet of extreme-nature. When He favours someone, He blesses the person with a lot more than the person actually deserves or even expects. Oppositely, when He is rude to someone, He can put the person in such grief and pain which is beyond imagination or even unexplainable in simple words. In Hinduism it is often stated that Saturn purifies people through grief and pain, just like the gold is purified by being put in fire. Saturn slows everything down, and thus He teaches people how to wait, how to be patient." (http://www.scienceoftime.com/english/saturn-shani.htm)
Saturn is not an entity to be ignored at one extreme or feared on the other, but is a potential teacher from whom we can learn our most important lessons. Many eastern traditions assert that within the heart exists all of the known and unknown worlds, so in order to contact the Karmic Teacher, Saturn, one must seek within oneself, and confront this “dark shadow”.
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LEARNING TO LOVE SHANI (aka.SATURN)
http://www.osfa.org.uk/shani.htm
Nobody likes being unpopular - but imagine if you were the kind of planet that causes humans to tremble and go weak at the knees, rather than jump with joy when you appear. Furthermore, you would even be feared by your fellow celestial bodies.
This is the fate of Lord Sani, (pronouced sha-nee) the planet Saturn, whose influence is dreaded, and who is at best respected for his powers as a bringer of harsh karmic lessons, at worst feared and shunned. Who could love such an icy, aged and implacable malefic?
In fact the popular image of a terrifying cosmic policeman is just a caricature, and the periods when Sani influences your chart can turn out to be the best times of your life - if you seek wisdom and higher understanding.
For a start, there is much more to Sani than first meets the eye. The planet has many ambiguities in its nature and influence.
The astronomical view
Perhaps the metaphor is unfortunate, because Sani does not easily meet the eye. He is visible to the naked eye from earth, but looks faded and is easy to miss in a crowded night sky. One clue is that Saturn never twinkles, unlike the stars. The planet is just over 1.4bn kilometres distant from the earth, and over 700 times bigger than our home planet. But - first ambiguity - it weighs 100 times less. It is the least dense of the planets.
Saturn is slow moving when seen from the earth and takes 29.5 years to go around the sun. Seen from space, the planet with its rings and 18 satellites has a compulsive beauty about it. Another ambiguity: It gives off more energy than it receives from the sun
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That is the physical aspect of the planet, the one which is known, plotted and measured by science.
The Vedic Sani
But in Vedic astrology, as in Roman myth, Saturn is a living being. The Romans firmly placed Saturn as earthy, as Saturn is the god of agriculture and rules the day Saturday. Lord Sani also rules the day Saturday.
In the lore of Jyotish, Saturn, Lord Sani, is cold, earthy, masculine and dry, but - yet another ambiguity, the son of the fiery, hot, energetic Sun. Sani's mother is Chaya.. shadow, who in the myth sneaked in to unite with the Sun, much to his subsequent dismay. The Sun is therefore no friend of Lord Sani. But a planet that is parented by sun and shadow is an interesting mix indeed.
Echoes in cultures
There are many different descriptions of this most unusual planet in ancient jyotish texts. Lord Sani is variously described as "dark, lame, deep eyes" or "thin and tall body, large teeth, stiff hair", or even "tall body full of arteries and veins" - the kind of physical shape called "ectomorphic" by modern science.. bony, angular, thin. His behavioural characteristics sound uncompromising: "-cruel", "pitiless", "patient", "slow".
This archetype is powerful enough to resurface time and time again in different cultures over different ages. Consider two uncanny depictions of the Saturnian essence that I have found help build a picture of Lord Sani.
One is a famous character in graphic novels called "the Sandman", Morpheus the Lord of Dreams. He is tall, stiff, austere, humourless and unforgiving - but also loyal, dutiful, responsible and extremely wise. If you have never read the Sandman series - hailed as the best graphic novels ever written, take a look and you will see a faithful, almost unnerving portrayal of Sani's stiff, implacable power. Another depiction of Saturn comes from the Ifa religion of West Africa, and is the dreaded god of illness and healing Babalu Aye, who hides his face under a veil. Babula Aye resurfaces in the Santeria religion as St Lazarus - invariably depicted as an old, lame man with two dogs as companions, covered with boils.
Vedic astrology allocates a particular role to Sani, which is brilliantly summed up in the book "Greatness Of Saturn" - a reinterpretation by western astrologer Robert Svoboda of an ancient story about Saturn's powers.
Sani's remit
Sani,in brief, has a wide remit. The planet brings karmic lessons to the individual human soul in a patient but unmistakeable way. Sani's karmic retribution is always just .. and accurately balanced. But the planet is uncompromising in its action. Jyotish describes different propitiations for planets - but Sani is the one planet unlikeliest to be placated or fooled by insincere, rushed measures to ward off his ill affects. This is not Lord Sani's nature.
Sani traditionally governs age, longevity, restriction, discipline, elders, ancestors, asceticism, restriction. Lord Sani is not a planet that baulks from saying "no". Yet Sani also signifies wisdom - not the only planet to do so, but Saturnian wisdom, born of sober and probably unhappy experience has a special, "lived in" quality. The planet at its best brings temperance, moderation, and a quiet, unstated delight in a simple life. It rules hidden wealth, endurance, mental and moral courage.
In the kind of culture we currently live, these qualities are about as welcome as an undertaker at a midnight rave. But glitz, excitement, living life to the max. This is all the antithesis of a Sani lifestyle. Our society is speeded up at a frantic pace. Sani is not. And it come as a huge shock when Lord Sani comes to slow a life down.
Another area which Lord Sani rules is servants and service. Only the best of servants would agree to the kind of job Lord Sani has to do - doling out harsh lessons is not the kind of thing anyone would volunteer for. But Lord Sani is responsible, unswerving in his duty, the perfect servant of God's instructions.
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If you have to come face to face with Saturn, wise advice has come down the ages about how you can deal with it.
Your first impulse may be to run, to hide, to escape from some long-threatened disaster (Saturn's presence tends to bring crises to a head). But you can't run,. You can't hide.. at least, not for long. Lord Sani always gets his man. So, first bit of basic advice: let events come to you, and as far as possible surrender to them.
Lord Sani is a respecter of discipline, responsibility, moderation. These are all yogic virtues and vital to an ultimately rewarding life. So Sani's influence will mean a compulsory end to burning the candle at both ends. If you have never lived a regulated life, you maybe in for a shock: it is deeply satisfying!
Facing trouble, it is a common thing to look for a way out. Jyotish offers various means to propitiate the planetary deities. But Lord Sani cannot easily be fobbed off by an expensive gem, or a yantra, or mantras uttered carelessly - or worst of all, by someone other than you on your behalf. If you feel you really want to propiate Sani to ward of his ill affects, then take a little time to work out what you are trying to do. Far better than propiating Sani is to enter a relationship with him. He has a huge amount of gifts to offer.
I call this relationship entering the school of Sani - his gurukula, and it is a school like none other. You can only enter this school, and learn the lessons, if you check the ego by the front door, keep humble, and accept the events which come to you.
Lord Sani is a magnificent teacher! By his own example he represents effort, endeavour, endurance. He is wise, grave, not torn here and there by the demands of the senses.
You can learn to live a life full of simple goodness, grow enormously in a compassionate wisdom, and understand that in moments of unhappiness there is great beauty too.
The best way to keep this relationship alive, I have found, is to do a bit of chanting and recitation of sacred texts. It is a way of focussing, of bringing the strength of Lord Sani to you.. a way of saying "Teach me what you know, I bow to your greatness" rather than "Here's a bribe now leave me alone please". Chanting is a great great tool, and it costs nothing to do.
Ideally the time for Sani propitiations is on Saturday, two hours and forty minutes before sunset. But this may seem a little too austere for some.
Here's my suggestion - that you chant on your mala beads the Sani root mantra 108 times (1 round) on a Saturday.. or once a day during Lord Sani's influence. But if you commit to do this, then don't rush it, or gabble the words. Everything is slow, deliberate, patient in the world of Sani.
The root mantra is Om pram prim proum sah shanaye namah…
A more radical way is also to make a commitment to chant this 23,000 times over a period of 40 days - which is easier than it sounds and can bring profound understanding of Lord Sani.
Yet another free method: Fast on a Saturday. Offer the fast to Lord Sani and then simply go for it. And offer the break of the fast to Sani as well.
Begin with a prayer, end with a prayer, and see how this settles with you.
Getting to know Lord Sani
He is not unnapproachable - but you need to be open, not treacherous, and willing to listen to his lessons. Why bother? Well, don't you want to get a little bit of wisdom from your life on earth?
I once read a story about two teachers - one, who was always smiling and joking, and who created great gusts of laughter in the big crowds as he taught. But, afterwards, no one could remember a word he said. The other was grim, silent, said very little. Only a few disciples sat with him. But every word he said they carried with them until the end of their days, and never forgot.
This is the kind of teacher Lord Sani is. He can teach you acceptance of the impossible; he can move you past grief, past addiction, past miseries, past the worst humiliations and unhappiness. Within his protective grasp is much to enrich your life. And, in his own way, Lord Sani is loveable. The rest is up to you ...
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Saturn (The Gatekeeper) in Esoteric Astrology:
Esoteric Ruler of Capricorn – Planet of the Third Ray
www.mermaid-uk.net/Esotericsaturn.htm
Saturn is representative of the Law of Economy on all levels of the personality. It is not an agent of deprivation, as much as it is a testing ground to prove a person’s level of maturity and responsibility in dealing with what he has learned or achieved. We can say that the relationship with Saturn and the Sun has a great deal to do with physical vitality, and thus we see the application of the Law of Economy to the physical level. When we examine Saturn in relationship to the Moon, this Law extends itself into the emotional area of the personality life. The relationship of Saturn to Mercury conditions the extent of the lower mental aspect of the lower self.
Saturn, is the Lord of Karma. He stands at the Gates of Initiation ready to put all who approach to the test. (much as the symbol of St Peter acting as the Guardian at the Gates of Heaven in terms of the Christian philosophy).
From an astronomical point of perspective, Saturn is the furthest planet visible from the Earth with the naked eye. And its planetary rings are its most impressive feature. The rings are, of course, symbolic of the Laws of Karma. The position Saturn holds in space is indicative of the fact that a person cannot incorporate the energies of the furthest planets - Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, into his individualised consciousness without first passing the various tests of personal responsibility so that he proves himself capable of handling the energies of a more evolved state. We can note this particular ~guardianship of consciousness~ in Saturn’s rulership over the throat chakra. In order to awaken the potentials of the two highest vital centres, located at the brow and the crown, an individual first has to stimulate personal awareness from the level of the throat.
Another term for Saturn is ~Dweller on the Threshold~. This is another of Saturn’s many titles, duties and responsibilities in the unfolding of the Path. As such, Saturn represents the crystalisation of the past, so that ~debts~ may be paid and one may undertake present opportunities for the future.
~Opportunity~ is one of the most descriptive words that can be applied to Saturn, as he offers those crises and life situations that bestow conscious freedom of choice. It is through our restrictions, and the pain which often accompanies thwarted desires or aspirations, that we come to a greater comprehension of the Laws of Manifestation. The structure and administration of these Laws are also under the rulership of Saturn.
Eventually, through the opportunities Saturn gives us, we have balanced a great deal of past karma and have reached a place where conscious choices becomes an actual possibility. At this point the choices we have to make for our evolutionary advancement become clear to our wakening eyes. We know that if we accept the work and service in front of us, we shall be tested. Yet our vision encourages us to shoulder some of the collective burden for advancing humanity and the expression of Love/Wisdom in the world. Saturn’s house position will reveal where our dharma/duty lies in this respect and where we may expect tests of restriction and self discipline to arise.
Once these tests are taken and passed - once the Path of Discipleship has been achieved - the very advanced individual passes onto the Cardinal Cross where, it is said, ~Saturn cannot follow men~ Once human consciousness has reached this initiate state, the Laws of human Karma have been learned and incorporated into oneself and the ~gate~ which Saturn guards and protects has swung open.
Saturn and the Earth are very closely related, due to their dual connection with the Third Ray. Saturn controls the creation of structural patterns for mental energy. It is the ~form~ side of the term ~thought forms~, that is, the crystallization of mental energy so that the Active Intelligence of Divinity may manifest in the outer world and on the Earth. It is on our planet therefore, that the karma of out solar system consolidates into physical form. So does the opportunity for the purification of karma and the eventual upliftment and ~greater sacredness~ of both humanity and the planet upon which we live. As the planet of the "Law of Cause and Effect", Saturn also bestows positive reward. He is definitely the ~Grim Reaper~, but he is also the benevolent Father. The rewards and punishments we receive are especially true relative to the way we handle the Earth’s resources and the energies of the lesser kingdoms: mineral, vegetable and animal. The synthesis of these three other kingdoms has once more to do with our administration of the Law of Right Human Relations.
Saturn, as ruler of Capricorn is directly related to the process of Initiation. But Saturn on the exoteric level is also the co-ruler of Aquarius. It will be through the correct application of the Laws and Principles of the New Age, so very much influenced by this planetary ~Gatekeeper~, that we shall be able to co-create and fulfil our individual karma relative to humanity’s collective life in the Aquarian Era.
The position of Saturn in the signs is particularly indicative of several major characteristics.
1. The sign will point to which Ray qualities may be inhibited on the personality level, so that such energies are brought into much more objective manifestation by the individual.
2. Such tests and crises will be reflected by the forms of such restrictions in the personal life, that Is, some will be affected financiallys, others romantically, others physically, etc.
3. The sign position also reveals what the Soul is seeking to perfect in the present incarnation, in order to foster its own growth and aid in the externalization of the Plan for humanity.
4. The combination of sign and house placement will point to the urge for the fulfillment of a specific type of karma, and the kinds of circumstances which will bring about the necessary testing in one’s life.
5. It must be clearly understood that these tests and trials are invoked through the Soul-centred individual’s conscious choice. This is part of living on the Fixed Cross and indicative of one who is assuming the responsibility for co-creating the structure of his spiritual life and material destiny. The right use of the mind, and the tests of polarisation of the emotions and the personal life to the mental plane and the impersonal life, will be definitely encountered along the Way.
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Esoteric Principles of Vedic Astrology
Saturn: The Spiritualising Planet
Predictive Astrology describes Saturn as a powerful malefactor. It is a bitter enemy of the luminaries. Its aspect is destructive, Saturn produces laziness, difficulties, distress, sickness, opposition, old age maladies, weakening of the nerves, and ugliness. lt makes an individual crippled, poor, and servile, devoid of manliness, and downcast. Saturn makes one wear dirty rags, lie and live among the thieves, outcastes and menials. Happiness of the company of respectful women is denied to him. He mixes with maidservants, appropriates others’ money and is unethical.
When Saturn transits over the Moon and its two adjoining signs, much unexpected troubles meet the individual.
To consider such a planet as the saviour of mankind and a guide on the path of spiritual return requires a very different understanding of the nature of Saturn. It will require an investigation into the inner motivations and basic impulses of the planet.
Shani Stotra eulogises Saturn as the bestower of kingdom if happy with a person, while destroys it instantaneously if dissatisfied. All troubles vanish on praying to Saturn for succour. Saturn's occupation of cardinal houses, whether in exaltation or its own sign, produces one of the five Mahapurusha Yogas indicating the maturity of the soul. These characteristics of Saturn reveal a very different aspect of the planet. Such contradictory indications of Saturn on the outer life of a person are in fact expressions of its basic spiritual nature.
Saturn is represented as a black man with ugly appearance, and ruffled hair, riding on a vulture with a bow, a trident and an arrow in his hands. He moves slowly, stays on dust and garbage heaps, always looks down, is dissatisfied and his nature is feverish. He is born of Chhaya and Surya and is a brother of Yami, the river Yamuna. He is tamasic in attribute. He is concerned with ash, iron, lead, wind and the mendicant's bowl. While Saturn's form is described in such symbols, his eyes are said to be of wisdom; for gods and mankind he is said to be divine or an adept Naga, the serpent teacher. All these are deeply suggestive symbols revealing the spiritualising effect of Saturn.
The ancient seers knew the inner side of Saturn. They associated Saturn with Yama as well as with various animals to indicate that the Saturnian impulse is concerned with transformation, rejuvenation and nourishment. The different animals of which Uttara Kalamrita has mentioned, dog, bull, buffalo, horse and goat represent its procreative energy and its power of yearly rejuvenation. The Pharaohnic teachings contain much reference to these animals in imparting the inner impulses of the universal life. The generative power in these animals in Egyptian religion was identical with the force by which life is renewed in nature continually and in a man after death. Yudbisthira's refusal to part company with his dog before his entry into the heaven shows that the ancient Vedic sages were aware of the symbolic significance of these animals. It is worth remembering that the deity associated with Saturn (its Adhidevata) is Prajapati, a progenitor of mankind. Behind the fierce appearance of the planet, its great concern for the evolution of mankind was known to the ancient sages.
Vulture, the carrier of Saturn, belongs to the same feathered species as Garuda, the carrier of Vishnu, the preservative principle. Both of these were born of the same Vedic sage; the Sun was also born of the same sage Kashyapa. Garuda represents the Great Cycle during which the material sheaths of the person are periodically destroyed until they are able to merge back into the perpetual motion, the Eternity. The various allegories about the vulture make it the emblem of the Great Cycle, the Mahakalpa, coeternal with Vishnu, one with the Time and the Sun. What Vishnu does by nourishing and sustammg life, Saturn does in darkness through death and biological transformation. The vulture, like a dog or jackal, swallows even the bones and flesh of the dead and changes putridity into life-giving substance. When Saturn inflicts sorrow, sickness, deprivation or even death, its aim is to liberate the soul from its physical weaknesses, psychological attachments and decrepit physical sheath and transform the same into life-giving energy.
The spiritual impact of Saturn is often overlooked due to its special operational method. It provides appropriate channel for the outflow of the solar radiance. Without Saturnian veil, its materialisation, the Sun cannot create and succeed in its evolutionary mission. The Sun being a pure spirit, a subjective orb of life and light, it needs primordial matter, Mula Pralcriti, embodied in the Moon, and objective, material sheaths, restrictive material and resistance represented by Saturn in order to project itself in the world of manifestation. This also shows the special relationship between the Moon and Saturn. The epithet's downward vision (AdhoDrishtz) westward looking (Paschima Mukhl) and the attribute tamas(darkness, inertia) refer to concretisation and materialisation of the life-force as an impulse of Saturn.
Saturn provides opposition to the Sun. But it is so to help the Sun in its mission of cosmic evolution. The Sun's light can shine only against the darkness of Satum. The Sun's life-force can energise an ego and give it rebirth only when there is old age and death caused by Saturn. The regal splendour of the Sun can look impressive only against the Saturnian rags, shabby clothes and ashes on the body and garbage around one's house. The Sun's gold is precious only in the presence of Saturn's iron. Saturn and the Sun are two poles of the same function; they represent Prakriti and Purusha; the East and the West. Both of them work for spiritual evolution. Saturn does it through its vulture who swallows the putrefied corpse, absorbs within itself the dead matter from which in it extricated life-force to initiate a fresh life. Transformation and rejuvenation by releasing the spiritual essence in man from his sickness, sorrow and death is the goal of Saturn.
If this feature of Saturn is properly appreciated it will change our approach to man and conditions of his life, and will enable us to transform the malefic impact of Saturn into a spiritualising impulse. Saturn always looks for producing inner wisdom and imparting secret teachings provided the human beings are willing and prepared to receive them. Saturn consumes all in the sacrificial fire of death so as to prepare men to be open to divine wisdom. Saturn's fall in the serpent's world (Naga· Lo/ca), his wanderings in wood, forest and the mountains and the smearing of ashes on the body refer to the quest for inner spiritual wisdom. Vishnu's Garuda is an enemy of the serpent; it implies that one's involvement in matter, mundane existence, succeeds in the absence of esoteric wisdom and occult vision whereas Saturn's falling amidst the serpents refers to destruction. deprivation and afflictions arising from material attraction, experiences which produce clarity of vision, disillusionment and the realisation of pure Brahma, enlightenment. The placement of Saturn in relationship with the zodiacal signs and its rulership of different asterisms indicate the various stages in the Satumian transformation process. The luminaries namely the Sun and the Moon, are pure subjective planets, one represents Brahma, Purusha or the Spirit and the other Mula Prakriti, Buddhi or the reflection of Brahma itself. Their impulses are always directed in one way, towards fulfilling the divine destiny. Only subsequently, with differentiation of Mahal Principle and Manas in the evolving soul, the cyclical evolutionary journey commences for the incarnating soul. Immersion in matter and withdrawal of divine consciousness from it begins with the Saturnian impulse.
The Sun and the Moon are assigned only one sign each which belongs to them. All other planets have two signs to rule. The dual nature of these planets, one on the outer plane on which the materialisation of the soul takes place and the other on the inner plane where the soul is enabled to extricate itself from mundane existence can be understood better by studying their relationship with the two signs owned by them.
Each of these planets, except Saturn, have their rulership signs separated from each other. Considerable time period must elapse before the materialisation impulse is transformed into withdrawal from the outer life. But Saturn owns Capricorn and Aquarius which form a continuous belt of the zodiac. The wide spectrum of influence flowing through Saturn is perceived under five asterisms covering this area. The transformation caused by Saturn does not need incubation: it is direct, fierce and invincible. At the initial stage intensification of matter occurs. In the process the deepest psychological dissatisfaction not due to non-fulfilment of personal ambition but due to inherent inability of material goals to satisfy the inner man, and finally Saturn under Capricorn prepares the individual for spiritual trials and tribulations awaiting every spiritual aspirant.
Saturn continues the impulse in Aquarius. Under the Aquarian impulse, the individual is carried further by a gale of past karmic forces. This special impulse produces an important psychological orientation in man. He can now acquire a new outlook, a new direction in life and a new psycho-biological transformation. The sign consists of Dhanistha later half, Satabhishaka and first three quarters of Purva Bhadra owned by Mars, Rahu and Jupiter. These asterisms are intimately connected with powerful past karmas. They create conditions through which personal vanities, sensual gratifications and self-seeking ambitious activities give way to considerations for others, altruism and spiritual values. The continuity of Saturnian signs aims at producing the spiritualizing impact without any time interval that makes the lesson arduous and Saturn a planet of great hardships. Saturn has inherited invincibility from its father the Sun, spirituality from its grandfather sage Kashyapa and its method of working conditioned by matter with which it is surrounded.
Saturn represents Prakriti, the manifestation around us. Nature does not restrict the power of Original Cause, but it provides channels for its ultimate expression. The Sun is the original impulse while Saturn is the final expression. Saturn fulfils the destiny of Brahma, Atman or the Sun for our universe. We form a part of this universal manifestation, Nature, and are not much different from minerals, plants and other animals. All are unitedly trying to express the quality of Brahma, the original impulse of manifestation. Once the process has begun, it can end only on final accomplishment of the goal. The soul relinquished its undifferentiated state of cosmic subjectivity in order to manifest its latent (spiritual) qualities. The multicoloured dome reflecting the One Radiance constitutes Nature; it is the alchemical crucible in which newer forms are evolved, basic transformations are achieved and base metal lead (associated with Saturn) turned into the solar gold. The man exists to participate in this natural process of universal transformation and Saturn assists man to do so.
Saturn represents tamas, darkness, but inertia is its inherent attribute. The universe moves under the impulse of inertia. Matter always operates under inertia unless some other impulse is exerted on it. Inertia rules supreme in Nature. In fact, at the root of all earthly manifestation, there must be the powerful impact of Saturn for its growth and development. Under the inertial impact of Saturn, the minerals unite and basic atoms constituting them and taking advantage of surrounding conditions, heat, pressure and chemical affinity, one form of mineral is transformed into another. Under this process coal becomes diamond. The transformation process in plant depends upon the nourishment secured by it and transforming the fertiliser into sap and imbibing the sunshine and air to grow into plant, leaves and flowers. The plants take nourishment from earth (Prithvi Tattwa), grow in the luxuriance of sunshine (Agni Tattwa), nurtured by the spring wind (Vayu Tattwa) and open themselves in the fullness of sky (Akasha Tattwa). They flower, produce seeds, decay and finally mingle once again in these elements.
Similarly each animal fulfils some special task, develops certain special qualities and adapts itself to some special purpose. The Pharaohic teachings considered Anubis, jackal, as one of their gods and attributed it to represent digestion. Jackal swallows even the bones and changes putridity into life giving substance. The digestion of seed that kills and decomposes it in order to form a new creature belongs to the female principle that give life otherwise, that is to say, without giving corporal volume to the life impulse that the seed carries. If the fecundated female principle does not have the capacity of putrefaction, Nature itself will cease to function. Saturn is assigned tamas as its attribute so that it can check the solar radiation from moving only in subjective (or spiritual) realm, concretise it in different multicoloured forms, and then transform it into its useful properties and role in manifestation finally leading it to the original cause. Under these basic factors, Satnm creates conditions for man so that he can pass through various situations imbibing from each condition what is helpful for his nourishment and growth. If the female principle is dead in him, he will rot, putrefy and nature's digestive function will not be operative. Without the Saturn's vulture, neither Nature can exist nor the individual will fulfill his destiny.
Saturn's role in cosmic evolution is to check spiritual impulse from dissolving into nothingness. Concretisation of spirit by putting tamasic impediments is its one aspect; Saturn's aim in its final phase is spiritual transformation. Its malefic nature is evident during its middle phase of operation where the soul extricated itself from its material sheaths. It is a painful process. Such a situation can be avoided and pain minimised by willingly cooperating with the Saturnian impulse and helping in its digestive function.
The malefic nature of Saturn results from its natural tendency to push the soul towards self-awareness while the personality clings to attractions of matter and physical indulgence. Yogic literature indicates Yama (selfrestraint) and Niyama (psychological orientation by self-discipline) important to reverse
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