What is ‘panauti’, the word used by Rahul Gandhi for PM Modi?

The EC, in its notice, said that the use of “panauti” falls under the definition of corrupt practice, as per the Representation of the People Act, 1951, as attempts to make an elector believe that he or she “will become or will be rendered an object of divine displeasure or spiritual censure”.

Panauti is commonly understood to be a word that means ill omen. The word is used for a person or situation that is a harbinger of troubles or bad luck. But do you know that the origin of the term lies in astrology, and Panauti or Panoti is the name of the goddess of troubles? We explain.

What is panauti in astrology?

The word panuti refers to a phase of hard times that begins in a person’s life due to the movement of Shani dev, or saturn. In Vedic astrology, a person’s rashi is determined by the position occupied by the Moon at the time of birth. Whatever rashi the Moon was in when a person was born becomes that person’s rashi.

Panuti and saadhe-saati (a seven-and-half year period of difficulties) are triggered when Saturn moves into certain specific positions with respect to your birth rashi.

Dr Dipakbhai Jyotishacharya, who runs the Parashar Jyotishalaya in Gujarat’s Vapi, told The Indian Express, “A saadhe-saati, or badi (big) panauti, consists of three periods of 2.5 years each. The first phase is when Shani is moving through the 12th sign from your birth sign. The second phase is when Shani passes through your birth sign, and the third is when it passes through the second sign.

When Shani passes through the fourth and eighth signs from your birth sign, it is called dhaiya or chhoti (small) panauti. This is a smaller period of misfortunes lasting for 2.5 years.”

But how is panauti understood in common parlance?

In popular culture, panauti is now commonly used for any person, situation, or period that seems full of worries and reverses.

Dipakbhai, who has a PhD in astrology from M S University, Baroda, pointed out that Shani does not bring punishment or bad luck, but dispenses justice for the bad deeds one may have committed, in this life or previous ones.

“Shani once left his house after a tiff with his father, Sun. He then prayed to Lord Shiva that he should be allowed to mete out justice to everyone for the wrongs they commit. This boon was granted.” So, when one is feeling the ill-effects of Shani’s influence, the material troubles they experience are in fact cleaning up their spiritual credit.

Does panauti have a physical form?

Panauti or Panoti is also visualised in a female form, as the goddess of troubles. Lord Hanuman is believed to deliver people reeling under the effects of saadhe-saati and panuati, and thus, in some temples, Panoti is seen lying under the feet of Hanuman. One such is the Sarangpur Hanuman temple in Gujarat.

Kaushik Trivedi, an astrologer from Rajkot, told The Indian Express that Panoti is a mana kanya (figuratively born out of one’s imagination) of Lord Brahma. In Hindu mythology, she is believed to be the goddess of troubles.

The Kashtbhanjan (destroyer of troubles) Hanuman idol in Sarangpur temple, Gujarat, shows Panoti lying at Hanuman’s feet. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

“Panoti hits every being three times in their lifetime, for a period of seven-and-a-half years each. She hits the heart, brain, and feet of a person, and thus affects emotions, decision-making powers, and mobility respectively,” Trivedi said.

“Shani is the judge of all nine planets who blesses or curses a being on the basis of their karma. When Shani moves into the relevant houses of one’s horoscope, Panoti hits,” Trivedi added.

According to Trivedi, worshipping Lord Hanuman can help one get through such periods. “Shani is the son of Suryadev, and Hanuman is a disciple of Suryadev. Suryadev had given blessings to Hanuman that those who worship him would be protected from Shani and, by extension, from Panoti,” he said.

With inputs from Gopal B Kateshiya