Hinduism Series: Sade Sati - Signs and Omens

Astrologically, the Sade Sati period of 7.5 years is considered to be a time of great stress for a native. So much so that there is almost an infinite dread among believers during their time and great relief when it ends.

People forget that Sade Sati is not a period of suffering. Rather a period where certain Prarabdha Karma gets settled. That's because the Planet that governs this period of astrological significance is the God Shani who people forget is associated with Justice.

Basically, you reap what you sow.

While this is a very (and I mean very) crude way of talking about Karma (it is absolutely nonsensical to allocate a linear correlation to Karmic issues - its not equal action and reaction for individual acts rather a complex play between good and bad deeds whose karmic fruit /phala manifests itself over lifetimes), the Sade Sati is a time when some of these Karmic reactions take place in a heavy manner.

Accidents (especially with limbs), monetary loss, illness, general despondency... these may afflict the native by the proverbial bucket load.

Keep in mind a few things though

1. There are remedial actions that can be undertaken during this period (we will not be talking of these in detail though we will touch upon a few briefly). This can be understood with the help of a good astrologer.
2. Sade Sati is said to be a time where the native is afflicted with injuries specifically to the lower limbs but injuries in general during this time are to be expected. This has a connection to Shanishwara himself who is said to have a limp in one leg (this is also important to remember for this story).
3. Sade Sati can be a time for both good and bad - The period alone is not going to determine your general state of being - other astrological yogas and the native's own efforts can mean that some great positives can also be achieved. In fact you will find several examples of people who have shone during their Sade Sati. In fact, I have heard in recent times, Narendra Modi, the Indian PM is one such person whos Sade Sati Period was one of great success.

Therein ends our rambling and we get to the main part of the article.

Here the story describes a recent incident involving my brother who as it stands is into the first year of his Sade Sati (my own got over a few years ago and was not as eventful though not without a few omens).

As a remedy suggested by an Astrologer we consult frequently, my mother has been lighting a lamp with a wick made of black cloth stuffed with some black sesame seeds every Saturday (the day of the week associated with Lord Shani) since the beginning of this period for my brother. He would do so initially but he has recently moved to Mumbai for employment. So while he had been instructed to recite a particular prayer (the Navagraha Stotra by Shri Vadiraja Teertha, the famed Dwaitha Yati of Sode Matha), the lamp was being dutifully lit at our home these many weeks. In a separate (till this incident) turn of events, my father has been visiting a particular temple (Sree Agasthiyar Temple) in T Nagar, Chennai (https://maps.app.goo.gl/gmC8LokBfHt6VB157) for a few years now on Saturdays to pray at the Navagraha Shrine there on Saturdays where the vigraha of Shanishwara is adorned with a gold kavacha (gold dressing) every Saturday. He had started this practice at a time where he had some Astrological 'issue' related to Shani and he found this temple with the kavacha decoration to be a good place to pray at.

Now follows the fateful set of events where we feel the omens shown by the Gods are quite strong. I would like to refer to an older article of mine on Ganesha (https://www.pradhyumna.com/when-ganesha-speaks/) where I have said that such omens occur especially strongly if the practitioner / afflicted has been performing certain rituals or prayers. The Gods speak at these times and its quite "In your face" to those who know what to look for.

Omen 1: On that particular Saturday, my brother had gone with 2 friends to Bhandardara, a holiday resort near Nashik. They had left early from Mumbai and had reached the destination amid some heavy rain. As fate would have it, he slipped and fell while descending a slightly lowered path at the resort they were checking into and due to the angle of the path, he landed in a bad manner on his upper arm which broke in 2 places. He is making a full recovery as we speak and we wont really be going further on the injury part.

Omen 2: My father got the call from my brother that he had broken his arm and was seeking medical help at a local clinic just as he was finishing his weekly visit to Shanishwara at the Navagraha Shrine at the Agastiyar Temple.

Omen 3: It was decided that my brother would come to Chennai for his surgery (yes, the fracture was quite nasty). His flight was on the day after his fall and with the help of some family in Mumbai, he reched the Airport. They had booked a wheelchair for him at the airport. And who was to receive him with the wheelchair? A random Indigo Airlines employee with a limp.

My father, brother (who for his part, took the hit well)s and I had a good time chuckling when we began to see these signs together. We do believe the omens, especially the last one were a kind of reassurance from Shanishwara, that yes, some pain would be there but at the same time, HE was watching.