Amavasya - Sani Jayanthi - Birthday of Sani

On US east coast, Amavasya starts at 12:07 pm (EDT) on Thursday and ends at 1:39 pm on Friday. In India, it is from 9:37 pm on Thursday night to 11:09 pm on Friday night (practically whole Friday).

This Amavasya is considered to be the birthday of Saturn. This is a perfect time to please Saturn.

 Many people suffering from various troubles are likely to be under Saturn's influence (sade sati, adhiya, saturn mahadasha, antadasha) and Sani homa can help, especially on an important day like this.

1) Donation: Donate to poor. Feed to handicap people. Orphans. Old age home. Tula Daanam

2) Clean your house, remove dust from your house. Remove clutter from your house. Sani does not like clutter at all

3) Pray to Lord Hanuman. Sing hanuman chalisa.

4)  Chant Saturn's mantra

a) a simple one

Om Sam Sanicharaya namaha - do 108 times

b) 

5) Perform  Sani's homa

Sani Homa Manual

Meaning of Sani mantra

shanno devIrabhiShTaya aapo bhavantu pItaye |

shaMyorabhisravantu naH || (YajurVeda 36.12)

Word breakdown:

devIH=divine/auspicious, abhiShTaye=for fulfillment of desires, pItaye=to drink, aapaH=water, bhavantu=may become, shaM=pleasant, naH=for us, shaMyoH=various comforts, abhisravantu=may flow towards, naH=us.

Meaning:

Those who perform yajnas (divine/auspicious rituals) and use pure substances like water, they beget great comforts and well-being always.

IMHO, this is very superficial. Also, one wonders why this mantra was recommended by Maharshi Parasara for appeasing Saturn.

We need to look at it differently

Just as water flows from a mountain, action flows from consciousness. Just as water is the basis of all physical life, action is the basis of all animation of consciousness.

Meaning:

May there auspiciously be our inspired actions for the fulfillment of divine will (may we be willing pawns in the hand of divine, engaging in hard work for divine agenda without resistance or resentment). For our protection (as we engage in inspired actions), may peace and equanimity flow towards us.

In other words, may we perform inspired actions to fulfill divine agenda, with peace and equanimity!

* * *

All planets are personifications of various aspects of our being (e.g. Mercury=spirit of comprehending and adjusting with world, Venus=spirit of enjoying, materially or even spiritually, things around us)

Saturn is a personification of the spirit of hard, disciplined and impassioned work, within us. So the spirit captured by this mantra is pretty consistent with what Saturn represents!!