Jaimini Rasi Drishti Sign Aspects Explained
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Most students first learn that planets aspect: every planet looks at the 7th house from itself, and Mars, Jupiter and Saturn have extra aspects. This is graha drishti, described in our guide to planetary aspects. There is a second system, in which the signs aspect one another. It is called rasi drishti, sign aspect. Sage Parashara teaches both, and the sage Jaimini makes rasi drishti the basis of his whole method.
The rule
Rasi drishti rests on the three groups of signs: movable, fixed and dual.
- A movable sign aspects the three fixed signs, except the fixed sign next to it.
- A fixed sign aspects the three movable signs, except the movable sign next to it.
- A dual sign aspects the other three dual signs.
"Next to it" means the neighbouring sign. For a movable sign, the neighbouring fixed sign is the one just after it (Taurus for Aries). For a fixed sign, the neighbouring movable sign is the one just before it (Aries for Taurus).
Every planet in a sign aspects whatever its sign aspects.
The full table
| Sign | Type | Aspects |
|---|---|---|
| Aries | Movable | Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius |
| Taurus | Fixed | Cancer, Libra, Capricorn |
| Gemini | Dual | Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces |
| Cancer | Movable | Scorpio, Aquarius, Taurus |
| Leo | Fixed | Libra, Capricorn, Aries |
| Virgo | Dual | Sagittarius, Pisces, Gemini |
| Libra | Movable | Aquarius, Taurus, Leo |
| Scorpio | Fixed | Capricorn, Aries, Cancer |
| Sagittarius | Dual | Pisces, Gemini, Virgo |
| Capricorn | Movable | Taurus, Leo, Scorpio |
| Aquarius | Fixed | Aries, Cancer, Libra |
| Pisces | Dual | Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius |
A way to remember it
Count from the sign itself as one:
- A movable sign aspects its 5th, 8th and 11th signs.
- A fixed sign aspects its 3rd, 6th and 9th signs.
- A dual sign aspects its 4th, 7th and 10th signs.
Try it with Cancer, a movable sign. The 5th from Cancer is Scorpio, the 8th is Aquarius and the 11th is Taurus, which matches the table. Leo, the fixed sign next to Cancer, is left out.
Four features that make it different
1. It is always mutual. If Aries aspects Leo, Leo aspects Aries. Check the table: Leo's list contains Aries. Planet aspects are often one-way; sign aspects never are.
2. It is the same for every planet. Saturn has no special sign aspect and neither does Jupiter. A planet simply takes on the aspects of the sign it is in.
3. There are no partial aspects. A sign either aspects another sign fully or does not aspect it.
4. It does not include the opposite sign for movable and fixed signs. Aries does not aspect Libra by rasi drishti. Only the dual signs aspect their opposite sign.
Rasi drishti and graha drishti compared
Saturn in Aries, Moon in Leo.
- By planet aspect, Saturn looks at the 3rd, 7th and 10th from itself: Gemini, Libra and Capricorn. It does not aspect Leo. The Moon looks at the 7th, Aquarius. So there is no planet aspect between them.
- By sign aspect, Aries and Leo aspect each other. Saturn and the Moon are connected, both ways.
Jupiter in Cancer, Lagna in Scorpio.
- By planet aspect, Jupiter looks at the 5th, 7th and 9th: Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces. It aspects the Lagna.
- By sign aspect, Cancer aspects Scorpio, Aquarius and Taurus. Jupiter aspects the Lagna in this system too.
- The two systems agree on Scorpio and differ on the rest.
Mars in Pisces, Venus in Gemini.
- By planet aspect, Mars looks at the 4th, 7th and 8th: Gemini, Virgo and Libra. Mars aspects Venus. Venus looks only at the 7th, Sagittarius, so the aspect is one-way.
- By sign aspect, Pisces and Gemini are both dual signs and aspect each other. The connection is mutual.
When both systems connect two planets, as in the last two examples, the link is taken as especially firm.
Where rasi drishti is used
Jaimini yogas. In Jaimini astrology, combinations are judged by sign aspect. The chara karakas form raja yogas when, for example, the Atmakaraka and Amatyakaraka are together or in mutually aspecting signs.
Arudha Lagna. Planets that are in, or aspect by sign, the Arudha Lagna colour a person's standing in the world. Benefics aspecting it by rasi drishti support a good name.
Karakamsa. When reading the Karakamsa, the planets that aspect the Atmakaraka's Navamsa sign are found by sign aspect.
Sign dashas. Jaimini's dashas, such as Chara dasha, run by signs, not planets. During a sign's period, the signs it aspects and the planets in them become active.
Divisional charts. Because sign aspects do not depend on degrees or houses, they are simple to apply in any divisional chart, and many astrologers prefer them there.
Which system should a beginner use
Use both, each in its place.
- For the familiar Parashari reading, with house lords, yogas and Vimshottari dasha, keep to planet aspects.
- When you use a Jaimini tool, such as a chara karaka, an arudha, the Karakamsa or a sign dasha, use sign aspects.
Mixing the two without thought leads to confusion, for instance by adding Saturn's 3rd and 10th planet aspects to a Chara dasha reading. A steady habit is to finish the Parashari reading first and then use the Jaimini view as a second opinion on the same question. When both point the same way, the conclusion can be stated with more confidence.
Why these signs and not others
The classical texts state the rule without giving a reason, but the pattern is tidy. Movable signs stand for beginnings and fixed signs for holding steady; each looks to the other for what it lacks. The dual signs, which share both natures, look to their own kind. The exclusion of the neighbouring sign follows a principle found throughout astrology: a sign does not readily "see" the sign beside it.
Summary
Rasi drishti is the aspect of signs. Movable signs aspect the fixed signs except the one next to them, fixed signs aspect the movable signs except the one next to them, and dual signs aspect one another. By count, that is the 5th, 8th and 11th for movable signs, the 3rd, 6th and 9th for fixed signs, and the 4th, 7th and 10th for dual signs. The aspect is always mutual and is shared by every planet in the sign. Use it with Jaimini methods, and keep planet aspects for the ordinary Parashari reading.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is rasi drishti?
Rasi drishti means sign aspect. In this system the signs themselves aspect one another, and every planet in a sign shares that sign's aspects. It is taught by Parashara and is the main aspect system of Jaimini astrology.
What is the rule for rasi drishti?
A movable sign aspects the three fixed signs other than the one next to it. A fixed sign aspects the three movable signs other than the one next to it. A dual sign aspects the other three dual signs.
What is the difference between graha drishti and rasi drishti?
Graha drishti is the aspect of a planet, such as the 7th house aspect and the special aspects of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Rasi drishti is the aspect of a sign, is always mutual and is the same for every planet in the sign.
When should rasi drishti be used?
Use it with Jaimini methods: the chara karakas, Arudha Lagna, Karakamsa and the sign-based dashas. For the ordinary Parashari reading with Vimshottari dasha, planet aspects remain the main tool.
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