Saturn - the celestial taskmaster

Saturn: the celestial taskmaster, often expressed as legendary king of malefic and dreaded God of death. This cosmic force is a prime reference index to screen the karmic deeds and calculate the longevity. Saturn is an indicator of misfortune, limitations, opposition, obstacles and failures.  It also rules the mind on the darker side that influences and triggers the socially unacceptable activities caused out of pessimism, melancholy, suppression, oppression, deprivation and dejection.  Influence of Saturn also helps in overcoming the hurdles, obstacles, hardships and leads to rewards with high level of discipline.  The trials and tribulations caused by this celestial force instill renewed degree of confidence, tenacity and heighten the level of success in undertakings.  This force often accepted and acknowledged as ‘teacher’ and bestows enormous personal and spiritual growth through harsh punishments and other corrective measures.  This is important cosmic energy that deals with the migration of soul. 

Saturn belongs to the Shudra caste (labour class, lowest in order among 4-caste pattern of social classes practiced in Hinduism in ancient days) and regarded as servant in celestial cabinet. The ancient astrological texts bear the mention of classifying this celestial body as neuter gender and attributed to the tamas guna. The nature of this cosmic force is malefic of the highest order.   This cosmic force has been considered as a tall stature with command over the west direction with the element of air.  The Saturn is personified as the misfortune and sorrow and identified as significator of subordinates in relationship index. Diplomacy is the method of persuasion applied by this cosmic force in human interaction.

Saturn owns constellations of Capricorn (Makara) and Aquarius (Kumbha). 

Capricorn, being a negative domain of Saturn which is the 10th of the zodiacal order located at the 270 to 300 degrees, symbolized as ‘animal at the upper and rest half as fish in water’ with the element of earth representing the knees of cosmic man. Mars gets exalted and Jupiter gets debilitated in this zodiacal stretch. Manifests spiritual principles and confers independent evaluation and analytical skills uninfluenced by any quarters and aids in well-defined clarity and expressions.

Aquarius, being a positive domain of Saturn which is the 11th of the zodiacal order located at the 300 to 330 degrees, symbolized as ‘water bearer’ with the element of air representing the lower parts of the leg.  This stretch is source of unknown and unseen power, occult science. This stretch causes psychic and intuitive abilities.  It gives powerful drive to spearhead the social causes for the less fortunate or neglected and often gives recognition with religious bodies.  

Saturn has lordship over the Nakshatras (Lunar mansions) of Pushya, Anuradha and Uttara Bhadrapada and with Mars it signifies the sixth house (bhava Shatrusthan or Rogsthan – house of enemy or disease).  It also signifies the twelfth house (bhava Vyayasthan – house of expenditure) with Ketu and singularly signifies the eighth house (bhava mrityusthan – house of death). 

In natural relationship with other planets Saturn is friendly with Mercury, Venus and inimical to Sun, Moon and Mars and neutral with Jupiter