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How Shanaishchar Became Shaneeshwar?

Before the discovery of planets Uranus. Neptune and Pluto, there were seven planets - Sun (365 days), Moon (27 days), Mars (625 days), Mercury (88 days), Jupiter (12 years), Venus (225 days), and Saturn (30 years).  The time taken by them to travel the 360 degrees of the zodiac is given in brackets against each planet as viewed from the earth.

Among these seven planets, Saturn is the slowest. Hence it is called in Sanskrit - Shanaischar - the slow mover.
Shanaih means slow and Char means mover, thus Shaniashchar means the slow mover.
In ancient days there were only Jyotishee in India - meaning astronomers.
After the introduction of astrology from the Greeks, Shanaishchar became Shaneeshwar.
I am quoting Varaah Mihir to explain that Astrology in India was borrowed from the Greeks.

म्ळॆछा हि यवनास्तेषु सम्यक् शास्त्रमिदं स्थितम् /
ऋषिवत् तेपि पूज्यन्ते किं पुनर्दैववित् द्विज: // 
Yavan (the Greeks) are uncivilized. This science (of astrology) is well established in them. (Because of that) they are worshipped like Rishis. Then just imagine what position would the Braahman enjoy if they knew Daiv (astrology).

In his well known book "Brihajjaatak", Varaah Mihir has used 33 Greek words for which there are no equivalent Sanskrit words. One of these is the word  Horaa.  Based on this Horaa is the seven-day week.


Shaneeshwar got this name after Shiv Jee hid inside an elephant's stomach to escape his Saadhe Saatee (7 and 1/2 years of Saturn's sojourn in one's 12th,1st & 2nd houses of his natal chart) and Saturn ridiculed Shiv for this. Then Shiv blessed Saturn that Eeshwar would be suffixed to his name henceforth and that he would be called as Shaneeshwar !!(as per Shri Shani Mahaatmya in Maraathee language)

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 8/9/2008
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 06/14/12