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A JYOTISH CRITIQUE OF SOME OF THE WORKS OF P.G. WODEHOUSE

One has always appreciated the fiction writing of the enormously popular British author P.G. Wodehouse, especially the Bertram Wooster and Jeeves series. Let us see some of the Karmic energies that characterize his work through the device of the Prashna Chakra. The Prashna Chakra was cast on Budhvar, showing that the vitality of Wodehouse’ work was derived from the witty and wordy Budh, creating an amazing web of verbal comedy in the process. The data for which the Prashna Chakra has been cast is: May 30, 2007; 14:48:01; Dehradun, India.

Kanya/ Virgo Lagna/ Ascendant rises in the Prashna Chakra, showing the very precise and methodical creative and writing environment in which Wodehouse worked and excelled. His writings show painstaking attention to the minutest nuances and details of conversational settings, say, with his butler Jeeves, and also generally. All this may be attributed to the Kanya Lagna rising. It shows a very sardonic and acute appraisal of British moneyed life in those times.

The Lagna Lord showing the author Pelham Grenville Wodehouse is Budh placed in Siddha Yoga in the 10th House. It shows tremendous ability in writing about his subject and making continual fun of the rich and silly Bertram Wooster. Budh is placed in Mithun/ Gemini Rashi and is running amok with witticisms and literary games such as abbreviating commonly used expressions of British life such as ‘bacon and eggs’ being written as ‘bacon and e.’ or in the alternative as ‘b. and eggs’.

The 2nd Lord Shukra/ Venus, on the one hand, shows writing about very wealthy people, Dukes and Lords, as the 2nd is Dhan Bhava, and on the other it shows Simhasana Yoga, showing that his status as a bestselling author shall be virtually unparalleled in the genre of comedic fiction. The sign being Mithun/ Gemini also shows that the play of words, being utterly inhibited in stylist variation, would be the backdrop against which he would exercise his peculiar genius.

Shukra is the Karaka of the mother-tongue, of one’s country and the nation-state. Being conjoined Budh in the 10th House, it ensured that Wodehouse’ works centered completely round the heart of British life and cultural mannerisms. Shukra also shows culture, etiquette and social ritual and the comedic structure of Wodehouse’ work derived largely from these areas. These Grahas being in the 7th House from the Arudha Lagna ensured a tremendous reception to his work and this resulted from his own genius, evidenced by the powerful Lagna Lord joined the Yoga in the 10th House of skill in work.

There is a view in many critical circles that Wodehouse’ work is worthless because it has no meaning. It is thought that there is no investigation into real life issues, no sincerity to existence and nothing purposeful is sought to be achieved through the writing. Some of this criticism can be seen reflected in the planetary placements illustrating the nature of his work, especially the Jeeves novels that were in the mind of the Jyotishi when the Prashna Chakra was cast and studied. Guru, the Karaka of the Paka Lagna, the seat of the application of intelligence and the Dhi Shakti: the power of discrimination is placed in Marana Karaka Sthana in the 3rd Bhava from the Lagna. It can be argued that wisdom, eternal truth and anything of philosophical substance is utterly lacking in his fictional work, especially in the most popular works such as the Jeeves series. In fact, the butler Jeeves was depicted as being very intelligent and wise, and his intelligence was captured in the personality of a yes-man and a man-servant. This shows Wodehouse’ intellectual rejection of wisdom as far as this series went since Guru is placed in the 6th House from the Lagna Lord. There were many in England who thought the portrayal of the aristocratic Wooster showed that class of people in England in a bad light.

The fact that Wodehouse is known most for the Jeeves series of novels and it were these writings that brought him fame is seen from the Arudha Lagna in Rashi Chakra joined the Shatru Pada/ A6 showing the butler/ the man-servant as the vehicle through which fame accrued. The Arudha Lagna in the 4th House shows that most of the settings were in British homes and the funniest exchanges also happened at home, with the Butler being forced to accede. However, Jeeves would continue to try and have his way, by attempting to get rid of a tie that he found too obnoxious to be a part of his master’s wardrobe. Guru is retrograde. In the 12th House from the Arudha Lagna, the qualities of Guru have been shown as lacking in the hero, depicted as a young man with no talents and interests and who spends his time in luxury (Shukra).

This also shows the misogynist streak in the novels as Wodehouse studiously avoids any liaisons with women, especially long standing ones despite honest efforts by his aunts to fix him up. Guru as the 7th Lord in Marana Karaka Sthana disfavours romantic interests for the hero. Aunts also play a dominant role shown by the A6 joined the Arudha Lagna. There is hilarious competition between the persona of the hero Bertram Wooster and the butler Jeeves to have their own way of matters of no consequence as the two Arudha Padas are joined in competition, and the subject matter, shown by the inanimate Rashi is trivial due to the placement of Guru.

The complete absence of any sexual references in these works are confirmed by the placement of Shani joined the Darapada/ A7 in the 8th House from the Arudha Lagna. The roots for these omissions and the portrayal of young women as essentially grasping, illogical, unreasonable and avoidable entities could be rooted in the fact that Shukra is the Atmakaraka and the author was comfortable with a hero who is a confirmed bachelor. This is apart from the fact that British culture at overt levels is astringent in these matters in any case. The exclusion of women from the personal fabric of life of the hero is seen from the placement of the 7th Lord and the Upapada Lagna in Marana Karaka Sthana from the Atmakaraka showing a deep-seated and authentic rejection to properly develop the characters in the novels in this specific series.

All factors seem to point at it as the Upapada Lagna is in the 12th Bhava from the Arudha Lagna showing a manifest rejection as well. The interaction with potential spouses is not ruled out and Wooster interacts with women and has even been engaged. This is seen from the fact that the lord of Arudha Lagna and the lord of Upapada Lagna are placed in mutual trines. More importantly, the lord of Arudha Lagna is also in Marana Karaka Sthana showing complete British status-quo in the life of the hero, where nothing ever really changes, and he is content to live a death-like life, so structured that it can admit of no serious changes.

This evaluation is of course very stark since it does not investigate the actual plots in the novels, which are incredibly funny leading to such tremendous, and in this author’s opinion, quite justified popularity for Wodehouse; however, the Graha placements show the underlying structure with which the novels were crafted. The Karaka for writing and the Lagna Lord being the same Graha, and aspecting the Lagna show the possibility of continuing popularity for his works, especially the series primarily under scrutiny.

Let us see the Navamsha Chakra for the past of the author and his writing. There is Pishacha Badhak Yoga indicating some unrest, disquiet and testing circumstances. The Lagna Lord is in Marana Karaka Sthana with the 6th Lord, also in Marana Karaka Sthana. He was imprisoned by the Germans during the Second World War. The 12th Lord Venus is also placed in the Lagna showing the fact that he spent most of his life in the U.S. The 5th Lord well placed in the Lagna shows his success in life.

One of the major controversies in his life was that he made certain radio broadcasts while in Germany which led to accusations that he was a traitor to the Allied cause. It is this unrest which is shown in the Pishacha Badhak Yoga and the Sarpa Yoga; there is something amiss in the working of his mind and his desires. Though as investigation was conducted by the Investigating agencies and he was exonerated, the conferring of the Knight of the British Empire happened only when he was in his 90s. The Mantra Pada/ A5 showing the recognition of merit is in the 12th House from the Arudha Lagna. The placement of Shukra in such strength does not point at treason but the Sarpa Yoga shows that his Mercurial mind, his funny wordplay and tricks could have slipped out of control and landed him in the controversy. The Sun showing government is in Marana Karaka Sthana in the 12th House conjoined the 2nd Lord (speech) Chandra. The Naisargika Karaka for speech, Budh is also the Lagna Lord, placed in the 6th House from the Karaka Bhava showing that his own speech landed him in trouble with the government.
Rahu in Arudha Lagna points at the shock to the image resulting from a questioning of his value system at a vulnerable time: Rahu is in Meena Rashi joined the Arudha Lagna. Guru is again Neecha in the 8th House showing that very deep thinking was not a part of the output and characterization of his work and characters. Mercury and Venus in Samsaptaka show his play with words and British life as the foundation of all his writing.

In the present day, Surya, nodes and Chandra influence the 11th from the Arudha Lagna showing that leaders in various spheres and those in high places would like his work and this would extend to a large mass base (Chandra). Popularity in foreign lands is also assured due to the nodal influence. The past carries much the same influences. Neecha Guru also aspects, showing that it may not have been intellectually fashionable to read his light works. But then for the true intellectual, fashion is of little consequence; it there is something to appeal to the mind, the work shall be appreciated. Wodehouse’ quality is that of an undoubted Budh-dominated genius, an unusual and childish genius, yes, but a genius nevertheless.

The future of reading in general is in serious jeopardy with the advent of the Consumerist culture. The consumerism has appeared to exclude the written word in unequivocal favour of the Pizza. The Jagannath Drekkana Chakra (D3-Jn) cannot but be somewhat severe. The Lagna Lord Shukra showing British life is in the 12th House from the Arudha Lagna showing a dissipation of interest in the life depicted in Wodehouse’ work. This is a big loss shown by the Shukra-Chandra Yoga showing that something of great cultural and psychological merit for its sheer playfulness and silliness (the Yoga is again in Mithun Rashi) is being ignored and dissipated. Ironically, the safety of the disappearing Pelham is ensured by the modern modes of communication (Computers and technology) which have themselves assaulted the reading habit. Shukra is in Parivartana with Budh, the 2nd and 5th Lord and the Karaka for communication. Moves are afoot to preserve the texts if interest should decline so much that books go out of print. This will take hard work and the interest of Dhimantahs. The Lagna Lord Shukra is joined the 3rd Lord Chandra and is in Parivartana with 5th Lord Budh in the 6th House. This work and interest shall certainly come, through will and effort as the 6th is an Upachaya showing free will of interested individuals.

The future of Wodehouse’ work faces Kemadruma Yoga from the Arudha Lagna, reflecting the danger that lurks by way of falling sales. The 12th lord of sales is in Marana Karaka Sthana but being in own Rashi ensures some other means like a retrieval data base to ensure protection (Mangal).

Unbroken Sarpa Yoga persists, showing misplaced desires and new, malefic preferences in the populace that play havoc with the sort of brilliance exhibited in these works. Only leaders and elites (Surya) and the truly concerned Dhimantahs seem to be interested in buying such works as the Moon (mass support and large readership) has no link with the 11th House from the Arudha Lagna.

This is the information that seems to accrue from the Prashna Analysis.

ANURAG SHARMA

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