It is important to understand the three Śaktis of graha dṛṣṭi in order to fully comprehend the concept of Graha Dṛṣṭi.

In the Lesson 23 of the Master's program On the Pancanga, we are reviewing and exploring this topic of planetary aspects.

Dṛṣṭi is often referred to as simply a “glance” that a planet casts toward a point on the chart, but this is a simplification that risks causing us to lose sight of the heart of the concept. Graha Dṛṣṭi is never passive. It is an act of power, a movement of energy, a relationship that is created between the planet and what is being observed.. For this reason, understanding Graha Dṛṣṭi necessarily means entering into the language of śakti.

Graha dṛṣṭi is a matter of śakti.

If there is only 1 foot, her gaze is neutral. We see many things in life, and many capture our superficial interest, but they do not produce desire.

This first level is very important because it is often underestimated. Not everything that enters our field of perception really involves us. We see, we notice, we register, but we remain inwardly detached. It is a unbinding gaze, it does not hold back, it does not ask for anything. It is like walking through a room full of objects: we see them all, but only some of them trigger something inside us. The first pada of dṛṣṭi works exactly like this: there is presence, but there is no involvement. From a certain point of view, it is the equanimous gaze of the wise man described in the Bhagavad Gita, who observes without identifying himself. Whereas when desire is triggered, a conditioning bond is activated.

What is desire? Desire for possession. We see something and want to have it. This is based on the concept of “mamata”: this is mine, I want this to be mine.

Here we touch on a central point not only of Vedic astrology, but also of depth psychology and Indo-Vedic spiritual philosophy. Desire does not arise from simply seeing, but from the moment when something enter the sphere of “mine”. In Sanskrit, “Mamata” is the subtle, often unconscious appropriation that transforms an external object into something we feel connected to our identity. That is where the gaze ceases to be neutral and becomes charged.

The 2 pada dṛṣṭi introduces Icchā Śakti. Desire arises. We see something and desire it. We want to have or possess it, we want to be able to say “it's mine”! Desire in itself bandhana cause, a bond, a connection between me and that object. Desire is like a connection, a thin rope that binds us to an object.

In this second stage, the gaze is no longer innocent. It is a gaze that tends, that reaches outwards. Even if nothing has yet happened on a practical level, the bond has already been created. Bandhana is not yet a visible chain, but it is an inner tension, a direction of the mind. It is interesting to note that this bond can exist even without any concrete action.

However, this connection may remain only at a psychological level and not lead to concrete action. Therefore, it remains as “a dream in a drawer” or an “unspoken desire.” A “platonic love."".

Here we can clearly see the domain of the Moon. Desire lives in the mind, in emotions, in the imagination. It can accompany us for years without ever translating into something tangible. Yet, even if it does not become action, it continues to nourish itself, to influence our inner world, to color our choices and our moods.

Only from 3 pada dṛṣṭi we have Kriyā Śakti and desire turns into action. As long as desire remains in the mind, Luna, it remains within me. It can obsess me, it can influence me emotionally, but without action it does not turn into karma.

This step is crucial. As long as desire remains internal, it does not yet enter into the law of karma. It is only when it crosses the threshold of action that it becomes a karmic cause. Kriyā Śakti is the moment when what was internal takes form in the world. It is here that the gaze of the planet becomes truly operative.

When the Desire turns into action, producing karma.. Because according to the law of karma, every action produces a reaction. If desire produces a sattvic and positive action, then it will produce positive karma. If the action hurts others, then it will produce negative karma.

At this level, Graha Dṛṣṭi is no longer just a psychological influence, but a driver of events. Action leaves a mark, creates a consequence, sets in motion a chain of causes and effects that will go far beyond the present moment.

The 3 pada dṛṣṭi is impulsive action, done without knowledge, without thinking too much about the consequences, without criteria. You can make mistakes that you regret, but it's not necessarily always negative.

Here, the risk of this stage becomes clear. Action arises from desire, but is not yet guided by knowledge. It is action that can be sincere, powerful, even necessary, but often lacks vision. Precisely for this reason, it can lead to mistakes, harsh experiences, and difficult lessons. However, even these experiences are part of the journey.

When desire leads to suffering, activate the Rāhu and Saturn cycle which we have seen in the respective Tattva lessons.

Rāhu amplifies, Saturn constricts. Together they create those cycles in which desire becomes obsession and action becomes burden. It is a dynamic we know well, both individually and collectively, and one that is clearly reflected in the natal chart when the dṛṣṭi operates at this level.

Only in the 4th pada dṛṣṭi we have Jñāna Śakti and we can conclude the cycle of desire in a sattvic way. Desire, action, and knowledge. Thanks to knowledge, we can “know” and therefore guide our actions and desires toward a higher purpose.

This is the point of maturation of Graha Dṛṣṭi. Knowledge does not eliminate desire, but illuminates it and brings it to a higher level. The sublime. It does not deny action, but guides it. With Jñāna Śakti, the gaze of the planet becomes an instrument of awareness, capable of transforming karma instead of accumulating it. It is here that dṛṣṭi ceases to be merely a constraint and becomes a possibility for liberation.