108 the holy number:
The ancient Indians excelled at mathematics and numerology, and the pattern of 108 appears in many forms and the meaning of 108 is profound.
The number 108 connects the Sun, Moon, and Earth: The average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters. You can imagine how this fact has influenced the practice of yoga, where much significance is given to the balance of Earth and the Celestial realm. At a foundational level, the word “Hatha,” as in the physical practice of yoga, is the alignment of sun (ha) and moon (tha), a balance of opposing forces, dualism, masculine and feminine energies. In Sanskrit, there are 54 letters in the alphabet. Each has masculine and feminine, Shiva and Shakti, and 54 times 2 is 108. Nearly all of the ancient Vedic texts, which are the philosophical and foundational works of Hinduism, carry a theme of 108 in one form or another: for instance, there are 108 Upanishads, number of beads in a Japa mala, Pradakshina in temple. The numbers 9 and 12 have much significance in many spiritual traditions: 9 times 12 is 108. Also, 1 plus 8 equals 9. 9 times 12 equals 108. 108 is a Harshad number, which is an integer divisible by the sum of its digits (Harshad is from Sanskrit, and means “great joy”). There are said to be 108 lies, 108 earthly desires and 108 evils and deceptions in mortals. Then there are the Powers of 1, 2, and 3 in math: 1 to 1st power=1; 2 to 2nd power=4 (2×2); 3 to 3rd power=27 (3x3x3). 1x4x27=108. Keep reading for more examples,
Cosmology:
1- Distance between earth... and sun = 108 times sun-diameter,
2- Distance between earth and moon = 108 times moon-diameter,
3- Diameter of the sun = 108 times the earth diameter.
Astrology:
In astrology, there are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 times 9 equals 108. There are 12 rasi (sun signs) of 30 degrees each in the zodiac. These rasi are connected to the Adityas (12 Sun gods) and the rasi are said to give the results of the Sun. The Sun is karaka (significator) for the 1st and the houses 9th houses. When you take each rasi and divide it into nine amsas (divisions) it creates the Navamsa (9th divisional chart). 30 degrees divided by nine gives 9 signs of 3 degrees and 20 minutes each. With each of the 12 signs containing 9 amsas there is 108 amsas. This Navamsa shows the inherent qualities of the soul, a native’s dharma (purpose), bhagya (luck), and one’s spouse. The Navamsa is the 108 sign chart held in high esteem in Vedic astrology and a Vedic astrologer doesn’t read a birth chart without the navamsa sitting next to it.
The Moon goes through the zodiac in approximately 27 days which creates the lunar zodiac called the nakshatras. The Moon is karaka (significator) for the 4th house. Each of these 27 lunar signs are divided into 4 amsas (divisions) called padas (feet/footsteps). The nakshatras (lunar signs) are 13-20 degrees and divided by four become 3-20 degrees. 27 nakshatras multiplied by 4 padas is 108.
The 3-20 division reveals itself as the most crucial division. The Moon sign’s padas and the Sun sign’s navamsas line up with the number 108. 108 is the number where the Moon (manas) and Sun (atman/ahamkar) line up. It is where the Moon’s cycle can be aligned with the Sun’s cycle. 108 is a number that aligns the mind and the soul.
The 3-20 division aligns the Sun and the Moon, which also shows the alignment of Shiva and Parvati or the Purusha and Prakritti. The 108 division is the coming together of Purusha and Prakritti, it is the creation of the world.
Ayurveda:
There are a 108 marmas in the body. They are points that can heal or kill a living being. They are considered the points where consciousness connects to the body, where Purusha (consciousness) is brought into Prakritti (body) to give life to the living being (both humans and animals have these points). The 108 intersections on the Sri Chakra again relate to this numbers ability invoke the balance of Purusha and Prakritti and the primordial ability of the rishi to see both clearly.
There are 108 Marmas in the body, junction points where Consciousness is tied into the the flesh. When we say 108 mantras it acts as a Kavach (protection) to each point.
Numerology:
1 + 0 + 8 = 9. Nine is the number of completion. As zero is the first number and after 9 the numbers start to repeat themselves. The 9 substantial numbers are representing the 9 archetypes of human existence (the navagraha). Nine is sometimes connected to Ketu, the moksa Karaka (significator of liberation), the planet that brings higher awareness, expanded vision and moksha (liberation). Ketu is connected to the deity Ganesh who guards the door to the Mother Kundalini who gives us Moksha.
1 + 0 + 8 = 9.
Numerologically, nine is a very special number, it always returns to itself. Look how it behaves with other numbers:
9 x 1 = 9
9 x 2 = 18, 1 + 8 = 9
9 x 3 = 27, 2 + 7 = 9
9 x 4 = 36, 3 + 6 = 9
9 x 5 = 45, 4 + 5 = 9
9 x 6 = 54, 5 + 4 = 9
9 x 7 = 63, 6 + 3 = 9
9 x 8 = 72, 7 + 2 = 9
9 x 9 = 81, 8 + 1 = 9
9 x 10=90, 9 + 0 = 9
9 x 11=99, 9 + 9 = 18, 1 + 8 = 9
9 x 12 = 108
Festival:
In the Durga Saptasati, the goddess Durga has nine forms known as the Navadurga. The number 9 is connected to the goddess Durga whose yantra (geometric symbol) contains the 9 pointed star and who is celebrated on Navratri (the nine nights of the goddess). In Hindu Kalachakra astrology it is Durga who guards the prana of the body, she guards our core vitality.
Yoga
The chakras are the intersections of energy channels, and there are said to be a total of 108 energy channels converging to form the heart chakra. One of them, sushumna leads to the crown chakra, and is said to be the path to Self-realization. And when we do our mantras 108 times it allows the mantra to flow through each of these channels (as well as each of the 108 navamsas that a planet could be placed in).
When the ocean of milk was churned in the beginning of time, it could only be done with the working unity of the devas (gods) and asuras (demons). They used a great snake to churn the ocean of milk (the milky way) there were 54 devas on the side of the tail and 54 asuras on the side of the heads. They churned the ocean searching for the amrita (the nectar of immortality). Before it arose from the ocean many poisons and blessing arose. These represent our 54 negative qualities that churn with the 54 positive qualities in the spiritual work of looking for the amrita within. This churning allows the kundalini to rise on the mountain axis of our spine with the turtle of the root chakra below.
Zodiac:
The 108 navamsa/padas are permanently charted into the zodiac. The Sun traverses these through out the year. The 54 demons are the Sun's Southern Course (Dakshina Ayana) where there is more darkness on the northern hemisphere. The 54 devas are the Northern Course of the Sun (Uttara Ayana). It is the time of the devas, where light is more prevelant.
Srivaishnavism has 108 Divya Kshetras of Lord Vishnu, called as 108 DivyaDesam.
Desires: There are said to be 108 earthly desires in mortals.
Lies: There are said to be 108 lies that humans tell.
Pranayama: If one is able to be so calm in meditation as to have only 108 breaths in a day, enlightenment will come.
River Ganga: The sacred River Ganga Co-ordinates Latitude 30° N and Longitude 78° E.
30 +78 = 108
Breath: Tantra estimates the average number of breaths per day at 21,600, of which 10,800 are solar energy, and 10,800 are lunar energy. Multiplying 108 by 100 is 10,800. Multiplying 2 x 10,800 equals 21,600.
Stages of the soul: Said that Atman, the human soul or center goes through 108 stages on the journey.
Smaller divisions: The number 108 is divided, such as in half, third, quarter, or twelfth, so that some malas have 54, 36, 27, or 9 beads.
Dance: There are 108 forms of dance in the Indian traditions.
Delusions: There are said to be 108 human delusions or forms of ignorance of mind,
example: abuse, aggression, ambition, anger, arrogance, baseness, blasphemy calculation, callousness, capriciousness (unaccountable changes of mood or behavior) censoriousness (being severely critical of others), conceitedness, contempt, cruelty, cursing, debasement, deceit, deception, delusion, derision, desire for fame, dipsomania (alcoholism characterized by intermittent bouts of craving), discord, disrespect, disrespectfulness, dissatisfaction, dogmatism, dominance, eagerness for power, effrontery (insolent or impertinent behavior), egoism, enviousness, envy, excessiveness, faithlessness, falseness, furtiveness, gambling, garrulity (tediously talking about trivial matters), gluttony, greed, greed for money grudge, hardheartedness, hatred, haughtiness, high-handedness, hostility, humiliation, hurt, hypocrisy, ignorance, imperiousness (assuming power or authority without justification), imposture (pretending to be someone else in order to deceive), impudence, inattentiveness, indifference, ingratitude, insatiability, insidiousness, intolerance, intransigence (unwilling or refusing to change one’s views or to agree about something), irresponsibility, jealousy, know-it-all, lack of comprehension, lecherousness, lying, malignancy, manipulation, masochism, mercilessness, negativity, obsession, obstinacy, obstinacy, oppression, ostentatious, pessimism, prejudice, presumption, pride, prodigality (spending money or using resources freely and recklessly), quarrelsomeness, rage, rapacity (being aggressively greedy or grasping), ridicule, sadism, sarcasm, seduction, self-denial, self-hatred, sexual lust, shamelessness, stinginess, stubbornness, torment, tyranny, unkindness, unruliness, unyielding, vanity, vindictiveness, violence, violent temper, voluptuousness, wrath.
Upanishads: Texts of the wisdom of the ancient sages.
108 Upanishads as per Muktikopanishad
Rigveda(10): Aitareya , Atmabodha, Kaushitaki, Mudgala, Nirvana, Nadabindu, Akshamaya, Tripura, Bahvruka, Saubhagyalakshmi.
Yajurveda(50): Katha, Taittiriya , Isavasya , Brihadaranyaka, Akshi, Ekakshara, Garbha, Prnagnihotra, Svetasvatara, Sariraka, Sukarahasya, Skanda, Sarvasara, Adhyatma, Niralamba, Paingala, Mantrika, Muktika, Subala, Avadhuta, Katharudra, Brahma, Jabala, Turiyatita, Paramahamsa, Bhikshuka, Yajnavalkya, Satyayani, Amrtanada, Amrtabindu, Kshurika, Tejobindu, Dhyanabindu, Brahmavidya, YogakundalinI, Yogatattva, Yogasikha, Varaha, Advayataraka, Trisikhibrahmana, mandalabrahmana, Hamsa, Kalisantaraaa, Narayana, Tarasara, Kalagnirudra, Dakshinamurti, Pancabrahma, Rudrahrdaya, SarasvatIrahasya.
SamaVeda(16): Kena, Chandogya, Mahat, Maitrayani, Vajrasuci, Savitri, Aruneya, Kundika, Maitreyi, Samnyasa, Jabaladarsana, Yogacudaman, Avyakta, Vasudevai, Jabali, Rudrakshajabala.
Atharvaveda(32): Prasna , Mandukya, Mundaka, Atma, Surya, Narada-Parivrajakas, Parabrahma, Paramahamsa-Parivrajakas, Pasupatha-Brahma, Mahavakya, Sandilya, Krishna, Garuda, Gopalatapani, Tripadavibhuti-mahnarayana
1 = God or higher Truth
0 = emptiness or completeness in spiritual practice,
8 = infinity or eternity
108 is a number which resonates throughout the universe, as this shows. The reason why we do our mantra jap 108 times is because its a symbol of our journey towards our higher/spiritual self. Using the number 108 helps us coordinate the rhythm of time and space & we remain in harmony with the spiritual powers of nature.
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