Drishti
Planetary Aspect - Focus - Ray
The Sanskrit term "Drishti" [dRSTi] means "glance" or "gazing"; it is an expression of focus or concentration.
As hatha yoga becomes culturally integrated into the West, terms like "Nasagrai Drishti" (gazing at the nose while in a yoga posture) "Nabi Chakra Drishti" (gazing at the navel) or "Urdhva Drishti" (gazing into infinity) help make the term "drishti" easier to understand.
seeing , viewing , beholding (also with the mental eye)
sight , the faculty of seeing
the mind's eye , wisdom , intelligence
regard , consideration
view , notion
theory , doctrine , system
eye , look , glance
turn the eye to / look at / the pupil of the eye / aspect of the stars
"Yuti" (or "yugma") is not the same as drishti.
Planets that share a rashi are "yuti" (yoked, joined, junta)
Planetary "Drishti" is a ray cast upon a planet, originating from a planet not in the same house.
The three main forms of Parashari Drishti:
Rashi Drishti = "aspect sent by a sign"
Graha Drishti = "aspect sent by a planet"
Sputa Drishti = "aspect sent by a degree"
In practice Sputa Drishti is not used very much, but it does allow the calculation by degree of "aspects upon" non-graha items in the chart such as:
aspects upon house cusps,
aspects upon special lagnas,
aspects upon Upa-graha, etc.
Sputa drishti is a very fine tuning which is primarily of interest to researchers.
Definitions
Chara Rashi
Cardinal (moveable) signs
Aries, Cancer, Libra, & Capricorn
ruled by Brahma
Rajasic / creative Force
Sthira Rashi
Fixed signs
Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, & Aquarius
ruled by Shiva
Tamasic / destructive Force
Dwisva -bhava Rashi
Dual (Common) signs
Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, & Pisces
ruled by Vishnu
Sattvic / peaceful Force
Rules for rashi drishti:
ALL of the Chara signs aspect the three Sthira signs, EXCEPT that fixed sign which is immediately adjacent to it
ALL of the Sthira signs aspect the three Chara signs, EXCEPT that moveable sign which immediately adjacent to it
All of the Dwisvabhava signs aspect all of the other three dual signs EXCEPT their own sign
Aspects apply even when the signs are empty, uninhabited by a planet
All rashi drishti casts full 100% aspect (unlike graha drishti, where planets can cast 100%, 75%, 50%, and 25% aspects.)
E.g.
Chara rashi:
Mesha casts rashi drishti upon Simha, Vrischikha, and Kumbha - but not upon Vrishabha (which is immediately adjacent to it).
Sthira rashi:
Vrishabha casts rashi drishti upon Karkata, Thula, and Makara - but not upon Mesha (which is immediately adjacent to it).
Dwisvabhava rashi:
Mithuna which is a Dual Sign casts rashi drishti upon all three other Dual Signs: Kanya, Dhanus, and Meena (but not upon itself).
1-3. Rashi Drishtis: [BPHS Ch. 8, Shloka 1-9]
O Maitreya, now detailed are the drishtis emanating from the rashi Mesh, etc..
Every movable rashi drishti's the 3 fixed rashis leaving the fixed rashi adjacent to it.
Every fixed rashi gives drishti to the 3 movable rashis barring the adjacent movable rashi.
And a common rashi gives a drishti to the other three common rashis.
The graha in a rashi gives the same drishti as the rashi (in which the graha is) does.
4-5. Dristhis of the Grahas:
A graha in a movable rashi gives a drishti to the other 3 fixed rashis leaving the fixed rashi next to it.
A graha in a fixed rashi does not give a drishti to the next movable rashi, but the remaining 3 movable rashis.
The one in a common rashi gives a drishti to the remaining 3 common rashis.
Simultaneously, a graha in the rashi that receives a drishti is also subjected to the drishti concerned.
6-9. Diagram of Dristhis:
As depicted by Lord Brahma, I now narrate the diagram of drishtis, so that drishtis are easily understood by a mere sight of the diagram.
Draw a square or a circle marking the 8 directions (4 corners and 4 quarters thereof).
Mark the zodiacal rashis as under:
1
Mesha and Vrishabha
in east;
2
Mithuna
in the north-east;
3
Karka and Simha
in the north;
4
Kanya
in the north-west;
5
Thula and Vrischika
in the west;
6
Dhanau
in the south-west;
7
Makara and Kumbha
in the south;
8
Meena
in the south-east.
~~ BPHS Ch. 8, Shloka 1-9
100% Full Drishti
75% Drishti
50% Drishti
25% Drishti
Surya [Sun]
upon the house 7th-from his position
upon the house 4th-from his position
upon the house 8th-from his position
upon the house 5th-from his position
upon the house 9th-from his position
upon the house 3rd-from his position
upon the house 10th-from his position
Chandra [Moon]
upon the house 7th-from his position
upon the house 4th-from his position
upon the house 8th-from his position
upon the house 5th-from his position
upon the house 9th-from his position
upon the house 3rd-from his position
upon the house 10th-from his position
Mangala [Mars]
upon the house 4th-from his position
upon the house 8th-from his position
upon the house 5th-from his position
upon the house 9th-from his position
upon the house 3rd-from his position
upon the house 10th-from his position
upon the house 7th-from his position
Budha [Mercury]
upon the house 7th-from his position
upon the house 4th-from his position
upon the house 8th-from his position
upon the house 5th-from his position
upon the house 9th-from his position
upon the house 3rd-from his position
upon the house 10th-from his position
Guru [Jupiter]
upon the house 5th-from his position
upon the house 9th-from his position
(sends purva-punya)
upon the house 3rd-from his position
upon the house 10th-from his position
upon the house 7th-from his position
upon the house 4th-from his position
upon the house 8th-from his position
Shukra [Venus]
upon the house 7th-from his position
upon the house 4th-from his position
upon the house 8th-from his position
upon the house 5th-from his position
upon the house 9th-from his position
upon the house 3rd-from his position
upon the house 10th-from his position
Shani [Saturn]
upon the house 3rd-from his position
upon the sign 10th-from his position
upon the house 7th-from his position
upon the house 4th-from his position
upon the house 8th-from his position
upon the house 5th-from his position
upon the house 9th-from his position
[North lunar node]
upon the house 5th-from his position
upon the house 9th-from his position
upon the house 12th-from his position
(sends purva-paapa)
upon the house 3rd-from his position
upon the house 10th-from his position
upon the house 7th-from his position
upon the house 4th-from his position
upon the house 8th-from his position
[South lunar node]
No Graha Drishti
(sends only Rashi Drishti)
Drishti of Guru upon the 5th and 9th houses from Himself indicates purva-punya = credit from compassionate actions of past lives..
Drishti of Rahu upon the 5th and 9th houses from Himself indicates purva-paapa = debit from selfish actions during previous births.
Rahu's strongest drishti is actually His 12th ray, which He casts upon the 12th-from-Himself.
Since Rahu is travelling "backward" He is casting a very strong eye on the place He is progressing into, 12th-from.
The house 12th-from Rahu is where (although nobody expects it)
Rahu will do his worst damage through uncontrolled acts of passion and taboo-breaking desire.
Ketu sends no drishti.
Drishti of Shani - esp. Rishabha and Thula Lagna
Q. 59 Saturn is a malefic planet, he becomes a benefic by owning kendras. If so, are his aspects also benefic? Is the term "aspected by benefics'' occurring in the texts applicable to Saturn and such evil planets ?
Ans.
Saturn is always an evil planet but may be malefic or benefic by ownership.
We classify planets into four kinds :
subha and subha phalada = good and favourable ;
subha and papa phalada = good and unfavourable ;
papa and subha phalada = evil and favourable
papa and papa phalada = evil and unfavourable.
Whenever you find "aspected by benefics" we have to take "good or subha planets".
In the expression "benefic aspects" it means only aspects by natural benefics such as Jupiter and Venus.
~~ B.V. Raman, A Catechism of Astrology. p. 48
Q:
A beginner to Jyotisha study asks:
I've been curious about the following planetary combination in my radix chart.
I have a conjunction involving three astrological entities: the Sun, Mercury, and Ketu. Not only do they occupy the same sign in my chart, but the Sun and Ketu are separated by no more than 8-9 degrees, with Mercury sandwiched in between the two. Also, Mercury was in retrograde when I was born, moving toward Ketu.
Sitting right across from this combination, of course, is Rahu. Now, I know that Rahu and Ketu are naturally in opposition to one another, but it certainly looks as if Rahu also bears the opposition relationship to the Sun and Mercury in my chart. And, this where the confusion sets in.
In Western astrology, traditional and modern, the opposition relationship has always been regarded as a relationship in which the powers of the opposed bodies are weakened. But, I was under the impression that in Jyotisha, opposition is more a relationship of strengthening.
If this interpretation is correct, what effects are being exerted on the Sun and Mercury in my chart? I ask, because it looks as if in some way Ketu is weakening or frustrating those two bodies, yet Rahu may be supporting them.
Any suggestions or interpretations you might be willing to make, however brief or general, will be highly welcome.
A:
Namaste,
Good questions! Transitioning from western to Jyotisha is a fun challenge.
The mutual oppositions you are describing are handled as "drishti" in Jyotisha.
Surya, Budha, and Rahu all cast "drishti" (a ray of "focus". Some folks know the term 'drishti' from hatha yoga, because certain asana have a set focus point, a drishti.)
Parashari rules from Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra:
- Surya casts drishti or "sees" the 7th house from itself.
- Budha also casts drishti upon the 7th from itself.
- Rahu casts drishti upon the 5th, 7th, and 9th from itself.
- Ketu casts no drishti.
Some drishti is good and some is bad. Some is strengthening and some is weakening. Some is balancing and other is aggravating. It's all a matter of 'personality' of the grahas (who really are seen as deities with vivid personalities) and house ownership.
Generally speaking, if a graha casts drishti upon His own house (all graha are masculine because they are yang, creative entities) , that is a strengthening of the house. (Not necessarily a benefit for the tenants, tho, since the tenants might not like the owner.)
It is as if the landlord can "see" the house he owns.
Because the owner is watching it, the house is more protected and strong.
Having the owner actually live in the house makes a very strong house.
(Although again it can be unpleasant for the co-tenants if they don't get along with the landlord.)
If two graha are in mutual opposition they can both "see" each other.
But if they are natural enemies (like Surya and Rahu are enemies!) then "seeing" each other just aggravates their animosity. (The Sun's two main enemies are Saturn and Rahu.)
Budha is neutral to all the other graha, so the drishti of Budha won't aggravate any old animosities.
If Budha is sending drishti from a rashi (sign) that is friendly to Budha, the drishti cast upon the 7th from Budha makes the receiving house more chatty, or analytical, or media-savvy, or however Budha is operating in his rashi.
Budha is rarely a trouble-maker, He is just a mentalizer.
You're right about Ketu being a weakening influence. The problem with Ketu is His passive detachment. He is a very spiritual influence who is completely careless and dysfunctional on the material plane.
When Ketu shares a house with other graha, He brings an aura of spacey, intuitive, out-of-body psychic perception which is great for psychic healing, astrology, and meditation - and very little else.
Ketu benefits shamans, medical intuitives and folks who are consciously communicating with spirits. When Ketu is with Surya, the reasonable ego-personality is weakened; when Ketu is with Budha, the mental process becomes spiritualized and materially disconnected. The person may struggle to articulate or integrate their thoughts, and the social personality is rather gentle and passive.
Rahu gives intense, risky desires, while Ketu is dissociative and apathetic. When graha get into the rashi axis of Rahu-Ketu, they get caught in the maelstrom of past-life desire and spiritual awakening that Rahu-Ketu, the "psychic nodes", are creating. The myth of Rahu-Ketu explains how they got that way.
Ketu used to have a Naga body, which He shared with Rahu (Rahu was the head and Ketu was the tail), but Rahu's desires got them into an illicit situation, and Vishnu (the Sun) sliced them in half with His discus, for their misdeed.
So now Ketu doesn't have a whole body, and He doesn't care about bodies. Has no interest in physical bodies, health, food, money, sex, power, or anything on the material plane. Rahu is still hot to trot for material stuff, and Rahu still goes around getting into trouble. But Ketu can't be bothered.
As you may have gathered, Jyotisha is really all about the personalities of the graha! It's fun to learn about them, and to see how they shape the human experience.
I don't find this practice in the least superstitious. Rather, it seems to me like a grand narrative of history, human and divine. And like all narratives, it involves the complex interplay of supportive, opposing, disturbing, and enlightening forces.
Best wishes for your success in the study of Jyotisha,
~~ Barbara Pijan Lama, Jyotisha
updated: 13 July 2009
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