Shani remedies
Shani mantra jaap
Jaap is repeated recitation. For Shani, the recitations most commonly kept are the beej mantra and the longer Vedic mantra, counted in rounds of 108. What follows describes the practice as it is kept, and what it means to have it performed in your name.
The two recitations
The beej mantra is the short seed mantra - a few syllables, recited in high counts. It is the one most people mean by "Shani beej mantra jaap".
The longer Vedic mantra to Shani is recited in lower counts and is the one more often used in formal puja. Both are traditional; they are not alternatives to one another so much as different registers of the same worship.
How counts are kept
Counts are kept in multiples of 108, traditionally on a mala. A common undertaking is a fixed total - 23,000 for the beej mantra appears widely - completed over a set number of days rather than at once.
The count matters less than the consistency, which is the point the sources make repeatedly. A smaller count kept faithfully is treated as worth more than a large one abandoned.
Jaap performed in your name
When jaap is performed on your behalf, your name and gotra are stated in the sankalp before it begins, which is what dedicates the recitation to you.
We include mantra jaap as part of the Shani puja we perform, and we film it. We will not claim a count we did not keep - what you see in the recording is the recitation performed for you.
What is traditionally done
- Beej mantra
- The short seed mantra, recited in high counts on a mala.
- Vedic mantra
- The longer mantra used in formal puja.
- Rounds of 108
- The traditional unit of counting, kept on a mala of 108 beads.
- Saturday observance
- Jaap kept on Saturdays, Shani's own day.
Questions we are asked
Can jaap be performed on my behalf?
Yes. That is what the sankalp does - it dedicates the recitation to the person named in it. This is long-standing traditional practice, not a modern convenience.
How do I know the recitation actually happened?
You receive a video of your seva. That is the whole reason we film - so the answer to this question is something you can watch rather than something you have to take on trust.