Shaneeshwar Temple, Varanasi

 According to Kashi Khand, Surya was born to Kashyap and Dakshayani. Surya married a lady named Sangya, who was very devoted to her husband, as is expected of dutiful wives.In due course, two sons and one daughter were born to them. The first one was a boy named Vaivasvathamanu, second again a boy named Yamraj and third was a girl named Yamuna. However, Sangya somehow felt that the heat emanating from Surya was increasingly becoming unbearable.

Sangya created a clone of herself who was named Chhaya (shadow). She was an alter ego (splitting image) of Sangya. Under instructions from Sangya, Chhaya was to perform the role of Sangya, spend her life as wife of Surya, without disclosing the secret to any one. She was also expected to take good care of the above three children. After getting an assurance from Chhaya, Sangya went away to her father’s house.

After some time, Chhaya gave birth to three children of which the second one was Shani. But once her own children were born she started showing lesser and lesser love to the children of Sangya. Surya came to know about this and got extremely angry whereupon, Chhaya divulged the secret. However, considering her innocence, Surya pardoned her.

Surya went in search of Sangya who was undergoing severe and intense prayers. Surya was overwhelmed and pardoned her too. The boy Shani, born out of Surya and Chhaya came to Kashi, installed a Ling which was later called Shaneeshwar and started worshipping Lord Shiva. He was blessed by Lord Shiva.

A person who has darshan of this Ling and performs pooja of this Ling on Saturdays will be free from all his afflictions on account of Shani (Shani Dasa, Sade-Saathi etc.) (Kashi Khand Chapter 17).