There is an interesting Legend of a meeting of Lord Hanuman and Shani. Once, Lord Hanuman was overwhelmingly pleasured while meditating over Artistic and Adorable countenance of Lord Sri Rama. He was so focused while meditating that he forgot everything about how the universe.

At the very same time Lord Surya's son, Shani was ambling about the seashore. He was over egoistic and haughty about his powers and courage which he earned after a long stick penance of Lord Shiva. At that time he was thinking, “I have incomparable vigorous powers. Who is there in the universe to equal my skills !”

With so haughty speculations about himself growing in his mind, he looked at Lord Hanuman meditating over Lord Sri Rama. Shani spontaneously decided to defeat Mighty and Solid-Bodied Lord Hanuman in the game of wrestling. With absolute certainty about the fight with Lord Hanuman, haughty Shani went near him.

At that very moment Sun was at the most piercing point and his acuminated rays caused so much of heat that the colour of Shani reached the darkest level. He was looking horrific.

Reaching near the son of Lord Vaayu (the lord of wind), Shani exhibited exorbitant arrogance and roared shrewishly, “O' monkey! I am the famous mighty Shani, standing in front of you and I aspire to defeat you in the fight of wrestling. So abandoned your ego and stand up to fight me”.

Listening to such a distant voice causing extreme incivility Lord Hanuman opened his eyes and asked with the higher level of decorum and calm, “O' King! who are you and what is your motive of arrival?”

Haughty Shani with full ego, answered, “I am the Mighty son of supreme scrumptious Lord Sun. The whole universe shudders of fear listening to my name. I have heard lots of stories about your masculine powers. So I have come to test your vim. So be careful, I am going to transit over your birth sign”.

The son of Anjani with utter politeness said, “Shani Dev! I have turned old and I am meditating over my Lord Sri Rama. Please don't interrupt and go somewhere else”.

Inebriate Shani proudly spoke, “I don't change the course of my orbit. And wherever I reach I establish my primary and dominance”.

The glorious faced Lord Hanuman repeatedly solicited, “O' Mahatma! I have turned old and I no more possesses fighting powers in me. Let me enjoy with reminiscing My Lord Rama. Please go away and find some other brave and powerful personality. Please don't interrupt in my devotion and prayers”.

“Don't be coward Hanuman”, shouted utter conceited Shani causing great disrespect to the supreme authority of the Game of wrestling. “I am so touched and my heart is filled up with pity, but I'll certainly fight you”.

Not only this, but blustery Shani hold the hand of Mahavir Hanuman who himself holds the hands of natives who are persecuted by malefic planets. Shani tried to force him into fight. Lord Hanuman twitched his hands. But covetous to fight, Shani once again seized his hands and tried to exert him to fight.

“So you won't listen”, whispered Lord Hanuman the malignant of ghouls and imps. He grew his tail and started wrapping up and squeezing Shani with it. In a few moments Shani was trapped from feats to the neck in the shackles of the Lord of the Wrestling. His powers, his ego, his heroism and his courage, all went into vein. He was thrashed about helplessness, irremediable and stranded in the pain of hardest bondage.

“Now is the time to go around the RamSetu”, chuckled Lord Hanuman and started running around the bridge constructed by the blessings of Lord Rama. Shani applied his best of the strength, but the bondage was not loosen even to the scale of width of his hair. The running of Lord Hanuman was causing beating of his tail about the rocks and boulders being kept there by monkeys and bears at the time of the construction of the bridge. In between, Lord Hanuman too was intentionally beating his tail about the huge rocks on the path along the Bridge.

Shani found himself in a most awkward predicament. His condition was pathetic and stunned. His body was covered with blood as a result of getting plank and grind the on the rocks and boulders. He was in extreme pain but there was no stoppage to the speedy Hanuman who was running inebriated around RamSetu .

At that time Shani started praying in timid voice, “O' Prince of all the devotees! Please be compassionate and show mercy upon me. I am well punished for my arrogance. Please free me. Please free my spirit.”

The compassionate Lord Hanuman stopped. Each and every part of the body of Shani was bloodbathed. He was experiencing the unbearable pain to the core of his nerves. Courteous-soul Lord Hanuman said, “If you promise not to transit over the birth sign of any of my devotees then I will free you. But if you don't promise I will punish you too even severest of the level.”

"O' brave and dearing! O' the one, worshipped by Demi Gods! O' the liberator, who freed planets from the bondage of Ravana! I promise, I will never affect the birth sign of your devotees”, extremely impatient Shani prayer thrashing in the great pain, “Please forgive me and free me from your bondage”.

The retainer of refugees, the head of all devotees Lord Hanuman freed Shani. Shani started massaging his painted body and bowed down to the feats of Lord Hanuman. Shani started requesting for some oil to massage his body to get relief from unbearable body ache.

It is believed since then, whoever provides Shani with oil (preferably mustard or sesame oil) and massages his limbs, becomes worthy of his blessings.

This is the reason that people still offers oil at Shani temple. And this is the reason behind the tradition of having the Darshanaas of Lord Hanuman after praying to Shani.

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A Lesson:

Lord Hanuman is designated as the Supreme Devotee. And it is clear that Devotion is the substitute of Discipline. Anybody who is disciplined in his deeds is archetype of Lord Hanuman and has nothing to fear from Shani.