Astro-profile of Ramanujan

   The constellation of Cepheus in the foreground with the coils of Cetus the sea-monster on the outer edges

December 22, 2012 marks the 125th birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan, the brilliant mathematician born into a modest and conservative family in Kumbakonam, a relatively small town in Tamilnadu who overcame several hurdles to find a place among the celebrated intellectuals of Cambridge.While on his death bed,  Ramanujan cryptically wrote down functions he said came to him in dreams, with a hunch about how they behaved. Now 100 years later, researchers say they've proved he was right.

Shown above is the horoscope of Srinivas Ramanujan. His Ascendant [7cn32] is conjunct the star Alhena [7cn32].  Gamma (γ) Gemini, Alhena, is a brilliant white star located on the left foot of the Twin Pollux. Elsbeth Ebertin associates this star with ‘interest in the sciences’ and likewise Manilius regards it as a genius with numbers.

"From the Twins come less laborious callings and a more agreeable way of life…..they  discover paths to the skies, complete a survey of the heavens with numbers and measurements, and outstrip the flight of the stars: nature yields to their genius, which it serves in all things. So many are the accomplishments of which the Twins are fruitful." [Manilius, Astronomica, 1st century AD. p.281.]

With the use of TNPs and asteroids a sharper picture begins to emerge. The MC is occupied by Kronos [conjunct Urania and Logos] quincunx Poseidon. The Ascendant is sextile Poseidon.

Kronos-Urania

People whose prominence or reputation is based on  expertise in  some abstract branch of knowledge (e.g. mathematics).

Poseidon-Urania-Logos

There may be some uncertainty as to whether information is gained  intellectually or through intuition, psychicsm or some form of  channelling.

Poseidon-Asc

To want to spend time learning or dealing with ideas; to feel spiritualized or ethereal (receptive and nearly phosphorescent)

“Ramanujan was a deeply religious man and relied very strongly on his intuition. While in England, Hardy tried his best to fill the gaps in Ramanujan's education without interrupting his spell of inspiration”. Ramanujan has been described as a person with a somewhat shy and quiet disposition, a dignified man with pleasant manners. (mark his Cancer Ascendant). He lived a rather Spartan life while at Cambridge. Ramanujan's first Indian biographers describe him as rigorously orthodox. Ramanujan credited his acumen to his family Goddess, Namagiri of Namakkal. He looked to her for inspiration in his work] and claimed to dream of blood drops that symbolised her male consort, Narasimha, after which he would receive visions of scrolls of complex mathematical content unfolding before his eyes He often said, "An equation for me has no meaning, unless it represents a thought of God."Wikipedia

The role that the TNP Poseidon [10vi19] played in his life appears to be more than just inspiration that he channelled into mathematics. In his horoscope it is conjunct Epsilon (ε) Ursa Major, Alioth,[7vi21] a fairly bright star (magnitude 1.7) situated on the root of the tail of the Great Bear, on the thickest part of the tail. It is also quincunx Kronos [8ar41].  Now comes the interesting bit. His progressed Sun [25cp19] was forming a Sesqui aspect to Poseidon in 1912-13 . The recognition of his genius began when he wrote to G.H. Hardy at Trinity on  16^th Jan 1913 and Hardy replied on  8^th Feb 1913. His correspondence with Hardy led to a scholarship from Madras and a grant from Trinity, Cambridge, England.  In her book ‘Secrets of the Ancient Skies’ , Diana Rosenberg  writes “In ancient China, Alioth was Mr.Red Coat who helped students through their exams. He was a special friend of those who felt they had no chance.”

 His diet and religious observations were compromised by the great difference in life style to which he had to adapt. Hardy helped him get into his original work, but the isolation of his life and difficulties in diet caused him great stress. He became ill in 1917, and in January 1918, tried to kill himself by throwing himself in front of a train. Rescued, he struggled on until he was able to return to India in 1919.

In this period  Ramanjuan’s  both directed and transit Pluto were square radix  Moon [3ar08]…which is conjunct the star Deneb Kaitos [1ar01] along with stars of Cepheus and the Dragon . Robson states that this star “causes self-destruction by brute force (as well as) sickness”. While Elsbeth  Ebertin adds that it gives rise to “inhibitions and restraints in every way, psychologically and physically”. More recently Diana Rosenberg’s  account of  this area appears to describe Ramanujan quite accurately:

“The dramatic combination of King, Dragon, Sea-Monster and Fishes combines influences of the watery depths with the imperious, ardent impulse of King Cepheus. The king’s stars offer leadership but shadowed by the doubts and dark dominion of the Sea-Monster. On the wild shore between the terra firma of sanity and the ocean’s chaotic depths these people are obsessive, single minded, high strung, nervous, edgy, racked by a great inner tension; if they do not find positive outlet for these energies, they may be destroyed by them.”

Reference:

KRONOS: leaders 

POSEIDON: Uplifting people/ideas; psychic vibrations; persuasion; intellectual or spiritual influences.