The worship of Shri Shani Dev is considered highly beneficial for justice, discipline, karmic balance, protection from hardships, and inner strength. Shani Dev is pleased by honesty, service, patience, charity, and sincere prayer. Saturday is considered especially auspicious for Shani Dev worship.
Preparation
Wake up early in the morning
Take a bath and wear clean clothes (dark blue, black, or simple clean clothes are considered suitable)
Maintain purity of mind and speech
Clean the puja place properly
Place the idol or image of Shani Dev on a clean altar
Keep a sesame oil lamp ready
Saturday is the most common day for worship
Puja Materials
Shani Dev idol or picture
Sesame oil (til oil)
Mustard oil lamp (optional)
Black sesame seeds
Blue or black flowers (if available)
Incense sticks
Diya / lamp
Akshat (rice)
Kumkum (optional depending on tradition)
Water in a small vessel
Urad dal (black gram)
Iron item for donation (optional)
Fruits
Prasad (jaggery, sweets, or sesame sweets)
Shani Chalisa / Aarti book
Bell
Sankalp (Intention)
- 1
Sit peacefully before Shani Dev
- 2
Fold your hands and close your eyes
- 3
Take a sincere resolve for worship
- 4
Pray for justice, relief from suffering, discipline, wisdom, and family well-being
Invocation
- 1
Light the sesame oil lamp and incense sticks
- 2
Ring the bell gently
- 3
Chant the mantra:
- 4
Om Sham Shanicharaya Namah
- 5
Or chant:
- 6
Om Praam Preem Praum Sah Shanaye Namah
Puja Procedure
- 1
Offer water mentally or physically to Shani Dev
- 2
Offer black sesame seeds
- 3
Offer flowers respectfully
- 4
Light sesame oil diya before Shani Dev
- 5
Offer fruits or sweets
- 6
Pray for forgiveness of wrong actions
- 7
Meditate with humility and patience
Important
Shani Dev is especially pleased by righteous conduct, helping the poor, feeding the needy, serving elders, and honesty in daily life.
Mantra Chanting and Recitation
- 1
Recite any or all of the following
- 2
Shani Chalisa
- 3
Shani Stotra
- 4
Dashrath Krit Shani Stotra
- 5
108 names of Shani Dev
- 6
Om Sham Shanicharaya Namah japa (11, 21, or 108 times)
Aarti
- 1
Perform aarti with the lamp
- 2
Sing Shani Dev Aarti
- 3
Ring a bell gently during aarti
- 4
Pray with devotion and gratitude
Prasad Distribution
- 1
First offer bhog to Shani Dev
- 2
Wait silently for a few moments
- 3
Then distribute prasad among family members
- 4
Accept prasad respectfully
Charity After Puja (Optional but Beneficial)
- 1
Donate black sesame seeds
- 2
Donate black clothes or blanket
- 3
Donate urad dal
- 4
Help poor or needy people
- 5
Feed crows if possible
Important Guidelines
Maintain cleanliness and discipline
Avoid anger, lies, and harmful actions
Speak respectfully with everyone
Saturday fasting may be observed as per capacity
Serve elders, poor, and workers
Regular prayer with good karma gives the best results