Kalachakra & Gaze of the Planets

We all know from the basics of Vedic Astrology that each of the Navagrahas has a specific type of gaze: ūrdhva-dṛṣṭi (looking upwards), adho-dṛṣṭi (looking downwards), sama-dṛṣṭi (looking at the same level or looking equally everywhere), tiryag-dṛṣṭi (looking sideways).

The planets looking upwards, Sun and Mars, are fiery and ambitious in nature, as well as very future oriented. They represent things rising or escalating. The planets looking downwards, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu, are more oriented towards worldly matters, as well as prone to creating feelings of fear and shame. They are also slowest moving grahas and represent matters sinking or deteriorating. The planets looking level or sideways (Moon, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus) are naturally benevolent and are most focused on bringing auspiciousness, happiness and protection to the present moment.

But the unique type of dṛṣṭi that each planet possesses doesn’t only reveal the psychological nature of these planets or the results they tend to bring – it also has a very practical application in understanding transits. According to Narapati Jayacharya, who explored finer nuances of Kota Chakra (which is so similar to Kalachakra that many of its principles can be used in both), the type of gaze of the graha is crucial when understanding the power of its transit through different nakshatras as seen from natal Moon.

Narapati stated that fiery planets, Sun and Mars, whose gaze is upwards, will be most disturbing when they transit through the lower (or most external) portions of the Kalachakra Nakshatra Mandala, as their upward looking gaze will then affect the upper (or inner) layers of the diagram. On the other hand, when these planets transit through the innermost part of Kalachakra, the disturbing influence of their fiery upward gaze will be almost harmless. The same is reverse for the downward looking grahas, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu – they are most harmful in the innermost part of the Kalachakra and least harmful on the periphery. Level looking grahas, as per Narapati, tend to protect primarily the same level they occupy.

Additionally, the fierceness of the gaze of the upward looking grahas will be amplified in ūrdhva-mukha (upward looking) nakshatras, while the gaze of a downward looking grahas will be amplified in adho-mukha (downward looking) nakshatras. Level looking grahas will feel best in tiryaṅ-mukha (level looking) nakshatras, with the potential of their protective influence to extend upwards or downwards in ūrdhva-mukha and adho-mukha nakshatras respectively.

Today, on the last class of our Kalachakra Nakshatra Mandala workshop we will dive into the details of those less known principles and go through numerous study cases to see how it plays out in practice. You can still join us and get the lifetime access to recordings – just sign up here.