A planet doesn't only affect the house it sits in. It also "looks at" other houses · those gazes are dṛṣṭi (aspects).
Every planet aspects the 7th house from itself with full strength (100%). This is the most important aspect rule.
Example: Mars in 4th house aspects 10th house (4 + 6 = 10). Venus in 2nd aspects 8th. Always count 7 signs forward including the planet's own sign.
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Rāhu/Ketu have additional special aspects beyond the 7th-house rule:
| Planet | Aspects (in addition to 7th) | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mars (Maṅgala) | 4th + 8th | Aggressive · attacks past + future |
| Jupiter (Bṛhaspati) | 5th + 9th | Trinal · spiritual + dharmic |
| Saturn (Śani) | 3rd + 10th | Effort + responsibility · over-time |
| Rāhu (per most schools) | 5th + 9th | Same as Jupiter · obsession in dharmic areas |
| Ketu | 5th + 9th (some schools) | Detachment from dharmic areas |
| Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus | 7th only | Standard universal aspect |
Saturn in 1st house aspects 3rd (effort), 7th (partnerships), 10th (career). This is why Saturn placement is so heavily weighted — it touches multiple life areas.
Jupiter is the great benefic. Its triple aspect (1st-5th-7th-9th from where it sits) blesses children, partnership, dharma simultaneously. Often called the "trinity benefic".
Mars's 4th aspect can disturb home (4th house = mother + home + peace). Its 8th aspect can create sudden transformations. Plus the 7th = marital tension. This is the source of Maṅgalika doṣa.
Classical Parāśarī school assigns varying strength to special aspects:
Modern schools and KP method treat all as full · debate continues. Practical answer: all aspects matter, but 7th is always strongest.
An aspect is a partial influence — the aspecting planet flavors what's happening in the aspected house, but doesn't fully control it. Compare:
The TRIKĀLA Deep-Dive PDF computes all aspects in your chart with strength gradients · highlights critical influences.