Dr. Robert Svoboda unearths the unbridled greatness and potent karmic effect that Lord Shani—the planet Saturn—has on our lives.
In this crucial episode, Paula Crossfield introduces a talk from Dr. Robert Svoboda illuminating the greatness of Saturn and outlining the practices and vantages we can take to lessen Lord Shani’s negative influence on our lives. For deeper insight into Saturn and the Nine Grahas (planets), pick up his translation of The Greatness of Saturn. The reading of this therapeutic myth is an entertaining and direct upaya (method) for cooling the often overwhelming afflictions of Lord Shani. Om Sham Sri Shanicharaya Namaha.
“All the nine Grahas of Jyotisha—the nine planets—are agents of our karma. Their job is to put us in the right place at the right time so we can experience the results of our karmas. We can experience what many people call fate – the karmic results of all the things that we have done in this lifetime and in previous lifetimes.” – Dr. Robert Svoboda
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Fate & the Nine Grahas // The Greatness of Saturn
After outlining how the nine Grahas (planets) in Jyotisha affect our daily lives as agents of our karmas, Dr. Svoboda focuses in on the greatness of Saturn (Lord Shani) – the slow-moving karmic taskmaster of the horoscope, symbolizing difficult life challenges—like aging, disease, death, and negative situations—which pulverize us until we finally get things right. Due to this, Saturn symbolizes our worst experiences and limitations, but also the potential for our most meaningful achievements through acceptance and hard work.
“Saturn is the planetary task master of the horoscope. He symbolizes life’s challenges and he keeps pounding away at us until we finally get things right. Saturn tends to indicate the things in your life that you would very much like to avoid, but that you cannot prevent—including disease, old age and death—both as applied to you and your loved ones. Saturn often represents the worst experience that your karmas have in store for you, but Saturn also signals where we can potentially achieve our greatest success.” – Dr. Robert Svoboda
Dr. Svoboda shares the cosmic Indian myth of the churning of the ocean of milk, on Ep. 25 of Living With Reality
Remedying Saturn’s Glance // Saturn, Sun, & Shadow (7:00)
Bowing to Dr. Svoboda’s teachers—Vimalanda, Junior Guru Maharaj, & Senior Guru Maharaj—we are welcomed into the therapeutic wisdom encased within the richly layered mythology of Jyotisha (Vedic astrology). Opening to these auspicious blessings, we are offered the potential of forming a relationship with Saturn, working with his lessons along the karmic path he has set for us, and using upayas to remedy his experiential astrological glance. From here, Dr. Svoboda describes Saturn’s relationship to his father, the Sun.
“We are temporary here on the planet, we are going to become ancestors before very long. No matter what our longevity may be, death is inevitable for everything that is born. This is something we all need to remember, and Saturn reminds this of us in such a dramatic way because he wants us to always remember everyday that we’re not going to be permanent. He has this effect on everyone, including even his father, the Sun.” – Dr. Robert Svoboda
Dr. Svoboda describes Rahu, the shadow planet that causes eclipses, on Ep. 12 of Living With Reality
Sade Sati: Your Saturn Return (26:00)
Shedding light on Saturn’s time of greatest influence on our lives—our Sade Sati (Saturn Return)—Dr. Svoboda explains this seven-and-a-half-year period of difficult life-changing karmas we all must face. Explaining his teachers’ prescription for lessening Saturn’s effects during one’s Sade Sati, he recommends regularly reading the therapeutic myth The Greatness of Saturn, offering sesame oil and black sesame seeds, worshipping Anjaneya (Hanuman), opening to Shani’s required attitude, and practicing forgiveness.
“Vimalanda emphasized it was very important during this seven and a half [year period] doing what might be possible to minimize the influence of Saturn as far as could be done. One way is to read the Greatness of Saturn on a regular basis, to make offerings of black sesame seeds, of sesame oil, and to worship Anjaneya [Hanuman], but most important of all is to take on for yourself the attitude that is required by Shani.” – Dr. Robert Svoboda
Krishna Das reflects on Hanuman, forgiveness, coming home, and bearing witness, on Ep. 111 of Pilgrim Heart
