From the realm of Vedic Astrology, there is a belief that human life is deeply affected by celestial bodies where destinies are defined through karmic energy. Out of the celestial bodies, Shani tells us the planet which depicts discipline, challenges and lessons learned through hardwork. On the other end of the spectrum is Lord Hanuman who stands for pure compassion, blameless humility, and selfless service which balances the karmic effects of Shani while also providing comfort to his devotees. These two figures, Shani and Hanuman, have a complex relationship with each other that is not only intriguing but also important because the depth of its influence speaks to the lives of many people.

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The Spiritual Divide: Ego versus Selflessness

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In the relationship shared between Hanuman and Shani, the center is clearly a spiritual one. Most people perceive Shani as representing the ‘Ego’ because of his relation with the planet Saturn. The energy of Shani is self-righteous, and demanding discipline which depicts that he is in need of confrontment with limitations. Moreover, there are some indices linking Shani energy to suffering while also blaming the heavy burdens attempting to repay some karmic debt to paying for actions from the past.
 

And of course, on the opposite spectrum there is Lord Hanuman who is selfless, the deity is respected for standing as the most remarkable figure of devotion, deep humility, and service. Therefore, spiritually, Shani and Hanuman represent two sides of the cosmic coin—Shani, the force of discipline and ego, and Hanuman, the force of surrender and selfless devotion.

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The Conflict between Raavan and Lord Shani: A Narrative of the Ramayana

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The analysis of the Shani and Hanuman sha story within the Ramayana yields some useful results. As explained in the epic, Ravana, the esteemed emperor of lanka, was deluded in his desire to orient the planets to his personal goals. After receiving boons from Lord Brahma, he imprisoned the nine planets within cruel steps leading to his throne, now possessing various gods and spirits. To torture the planets under his control, Ravana would climb the steps, which during his reign was done causing great suffering.

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Like many of his other plans, that Lord Shani had to prevent, this one for the impending birth of his son, Meghnad, became the most intense. With desire for his son to be immortal, he would order the nine planets to align in such a manner so as to grant |meghnad eternal life. Lord Shani, as he is well known for his wisdom and foresight, understood the consequences and was ready for the conflict. He altered his placement in an act of defiance, positioning himself to the influence of the boy's 12th house at which point he knew the boy's immortality would never come to fruition.

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In his rage, Ravana locked up Lord Shani in a dark cell, paralyzing his ability to set his sight on anyone to avoid any further havoc. This act of imprisonment led to # A major shift in events - the involvement of Hanuman. A year later, to free Devi Sita from Ravana, Lord Hanuman traveled to Lanka. During his stay, Hanuman heard others crying for Lord Shani who was stuck in a dark cell. To sympathize, he learned about Shani's circumstances and decided to help him. As a gift, Lord Shani blessed Hanuman with a Vardan saying that those who worship Shani will get freed from negative forces of Saturn.

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The moment Hanuman freed Shani, the gaze of the planet met with Ravana. The head of the kingdom underwent supernatural shocks, bringing ill effects to Ravana's kingdom. To everyone’s astonishment, the troublemaker Hanuman, who came to relieve Shani’s suffering, faced consequences for all his actions. Shani told Hanuman that he too will get remedies of Saturn which will be a test of his humility and service.

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Selfless Journey of the Association of Lord Hanuman and Shani Dev

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The nature of Hanuman allowed him to accept Shani’s orders without any question. A devoted servant of Lord Rama, attachment in the form of family, material possession, and comfort was absent from him, to say the least. When Shani chose to make Lord Hanuman his residence, he fully accepted this selfless servitude. There was never a time when Hanuman was not aware of the fact that Shani was on his head. While he went about his self-imposed task of destruction in Ravana’s kingdom and mutilating boulders into pillars, his shoulders were being strained to the brink of destruction. The agitations to the planet caused by this scenario were beyond fathoming, beholding to any mortal. Hanuman was able to care less. For whenever he indulges in this form of service to the humanity, if that is what it may be called, self compassion was achieved.

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When Shani was not able to sustain this level of discomfort anymore, he called for mercy. Good natured Hanuman had no other option but to grant Shani his wish of coming down. Mustard oil was kindly provided to Shani for his discomfort. This gesture was extremely relieving to Shani, in turn, allowing him to further bless Hanuman. Hanuman had been told that pouring mustard oil on either of them to Shani Dev or Hanuman would result in peth blessings in all forms. The positive can be done without the negative side effects of Saturn.

The Ritual of Mustard Oil: A Rod of God’s Blessings

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Even now, one of the ways to get the blessing of the Lord Shani and Lord Hanuman is to offer mustard oil. The offering of mustard oil is still used to seek relief from the harsh impacts that come with the position of the Saturn in the zodiac. Oil of mustard acts as a symbol of the purifying power possessed by both Lord Hanuman and Lord Shani. Such an offering is believed to provide freedom from the negatives associated with Shani, while at the same time attracting the protective and selfless energies of Hanuman.

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In the end: The Ultimate Balance

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According to the sacred scriptures, Lord Hanuman and Lord Shani are linked together in a most unique manner – Shani embodies the self discipline that comes through hardship, while Hanuman personifies the undying and selfless devotion. Both of them together teach us the paramount importance of balancing selfless service with self discipline in the great battle against the Karmic challenges we all have to endure. In the grand dance of life, one cannot underestimate the power of selfless service when combined with undying self discipline.

The modern stream of Vedic Astrology offers the anchors of these two deities as a way for people to direct their fates; one being the superpower of ego and the other as superpower of surrender. Thus by invoking Hanuman the devotee premises himself into the divine service of constantly overcoming the obstacles placed by Shani while remaining humble and composed.