Have you ever wondered why 108 number is so sacred!!!

Significance of 108 in Hinduism

• The distance from the earth to the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Sun.
• The Sun is 108 times the total diameter of the earth.
• In Vedic astrology, we use nine planets (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, North node Rahu, and South node Ketu). These are called the nava graha. There are the 12 signs of the zodiac (Aries to Pisces). Nine multiplied by 12 equals 108.
• In Vedic astrology, there are 27 constellations or nakshatras. Each of them can occupy a particular direction (North, South, East, or West). So, 27 multiplied by four equals 108.
• Vedic astrology is a lunar based tradition. The metal silver is correlated to the Moon. The atomic weight of silver is 108.
• There are ancient Sanskrit texts called the Upanishads. Upanishads translates as “sitting near God”. These books expound on the Vedas. Most scholars believe agree that there are 108 Upanishads.
• Many Indian deities have 108 names.
• In the Sri Yantra, there are marma points or energy centers where three lines intersect. There are 54 of these intersections. Each intersection has a male and female quality (known and Shiva and Shakti). 54 multiplied by two is 108. The Sri Yantra is said to be a microcosm of the cosmos, as well as the human body.

The ancient Vedic sages were mathematicians. They devised our number system. The number 108 is known as a “Harshad number.” It is an integer divisible by the sum of its digits. 1+0+8 =9. 108 is divisible by 9. The word Harshad is translated as “joy giver”. Thus, you can understand how the Vedic sages felt that the number 108 represented the whole of existence in our universe.

You can incorporate this number in your practices, whether it be mantra japa, pranayama, or performing a particular asana in a week.

Here’s how the Number 108 Binds Us to the Universe

During a puja, have you ever chanted a mantra for ten minutes or 25 times? Probably not! You may recall being told to recite it 108 times. Many Hindus have some form of 108 in their passwords, in their mobile numbers and license plates.  Companies have made great marketing plans and logos with 108.

But why is 108 viewed as holy?  The answer, just like every other answer you will get from your parents, is that it lies in math and science. Vedic sages, pre-dating modern mathematical formulas, had it all figured out! According to Vedic cosmology, 108 is the basis of creation, represents the universe and all our existence.

In Hinduism, we believe that outer cosmology should mirror our inner spirituality because our ultimate realization is that we are one in the same. It is said that the number 108 units represent the distance between our body and the God within us. According to Ayurveda, we have 108 marma points (vital points of life forces) in our body. So, this is why all mantras are chanted 108 times because each chant represents a journey from our material self towards our highest spiritual self. Each chant is believed to bring you 1 unit closer to our god within.

108 has significance in meditation as well. There are said to be 108 styles of meditation. In pranayama, the yogic practice of regulating breath, it is believed that if an individual can be so calm as to only breathe 108 times in one day, enlightenment will be achieved. Furthermore, an average person is said to breathe 21,600 times in a 24-hour period. Half, 10,800, are solar energy (breaths during day), and the other half is lunar energy (breaths during night). 100 multiplied with 108 equals 10,800. Also, in Kriya yoga, the maximum number of repetitions per session is said to be 108.

Hindus also believe our body contains seven chakras, starting at the top of the head and ending at the base of the spine. Each chakra is said to be an energy center within our body. The heart chakra, located at the exact center of the chest, is associated with transformation and love energy. It is believed that opening this energy center will lead to joy and compassion. The heart chakra is said to have 108 nadi (energy lines) that converge to form this energy center.

Also, in Hinduism there are 108 Upanishads, the sacred texts of wisdom from ancient sages. Additionally, in the Sanskrit alphabet, there are 54 letters. Each letter has a feminine, or Shakti, and masculine, or Shiva, quality. 54 multiplied by 2 equals 108.

These reasons explain why Hindus considered 108 holy. However, other religions recognize the mystical power of 108 as well. In Buddhism, for example, there are said to be 108 Earthly desires, 108 lies, and 108 delusions of the mind. This illustrates that the power of 108 has permeated into Eastern philosophies, but it does not stop there. In fact, 108 is not exclusive to religion, as it appears in our natural world.

In astrology, 108 can be noticed with the approximate relationships the Sun, Earth, and Moon. The diameter of the Sun is 108 times the diameter of Earth. The distance from the Sun to Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Sun. The distance from the Earth to Moon is 108 times the diameter of the moon. Lastly, there are 12 astrological houses and 9 planets. 12 multiplied by 9 equals 108.

Additionally, 108 is associated with the River Ganga and Stonehenge. River Ganga spans a longitude of 12 degrees (79 to 91) and latitude of 9 degrees (22 to 31). 12 multiplied by 9 equals 108. Stonehenge’s diameter has been measured to be 108 feet in diameter.

Lastly, 108 is a Harshad number. Such a number is an integer divisible by the sum of its digits. In Sanskrit, harsa means “joy” and da means “give”. Thus, Harshad translates to “joy giver.” No wonder the Cubs experienced the joyous moment of winning the World Series for the first time in 108 years!

You may have wondered what the significance of the number 108 is in yoga. For example, you may have read of people doing 108 Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) at the time of the spring equinox, or own mala with 108 beads. The number is considered to be so auspicious that 108 is the number for emergency services in India. So what is the significance of the number 108?

There are 108 mala on a string

Traditionally, mala—garlands of prayer beads—come as a string of 108 beads (plus one for the “guru bead,” around which the other 108 beads turn like the planets around the sun), notes Rae. A mala is used for counting as you repeat a mantra—much like the Catholic rosary.

These beads are traditionally used as a tool for meditation, repeating a mantra as you touch each bead with your fingers until you complete the mala.To meditate with a mala, sit comfortably with your eyes closed. Take a few deep breaths and set an intention. If you have a mantra for this practice, chant it aloud or silently. Hold your mala in your right hand, draped between your middle and index fingers. Starting at the large bead in the center often called the “guru” bead, use your thumb to count each smaller bead. Pull the mala, pulling it toward you as you recite your mantra. Do this 108 times, traveling around the mala, until you once again reach the guru bead.

Others give other reasons for malas having 108 beads. Mala Collective points out that some believe there are 108 stages on the journey of the human soul, while others associate the possibility of enlightenment with taking only 108 breaths a day, while in deep meditation. Other mala designers have been taught that the number 1 stands for God, the universe or your own highest truth; 0 stands for emptiness and humility in spiritual practice; and 8 stands for infinity and timelessness.

And, yes, one can offer a yoga mala of 108 Sun Salutations

Mathematicians and 108

Rae notes that renowned mathematicians of Vedic culture viewed 108 as a number of the wholeness of existence. This number also connects the Sun, Moon, and Earth: The average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters. Such phenomena have given rise to many examples of ritual significance.

Mathematicians have also noted that the number 108 has an elegant divisibility and geometry, producing endless patterns. It also is the hyperfactorial of 3 since it is of the form, an abundant number, a semiperfect number and a tetranacci number and in Euclidean space, the interior angles of a regular pentagon measure 108 degrees each.

The sum of the parts may offer more clues to why the  number 108 is sacred. Both 9 and 12 have been said to have spiritual significance in many traditions. 9 times 12 is 108.

Earthly Desires

In Buddhism, there is believed to be defilements, or “earthly desires” that humans experience. There is said to be 108 of these vices that we go through during our time on earth. These include experiences like arrogance, obsession, and violence. Each human experiences these earthly desires as a means to enlightenment. It is thought that in order to be free of suffering and attain enlightenment, humans must be free from all of these earthly desires.

108 Pithas and Upanishads

Pithas are sacred sites considered to be the seats of the goddess, associated with different part’s of the diety’s body. These sacred sites are scattered throughout India, all located near a body of water which is believed to be infused with the energy of the goddess. The 108 Pithas are important pilgrimage sites for the members of the Shakti sects of Hinduism.

Pithas were created from an origin myth recounted in the Mahabharata and the Brahma-purana. The legend involves the Goddess Sati, daughter of Daksa and wife of Shiva. When Daksa refused to invite Shiva and Sati to a sacrifice, Sati came to the sacrifice uninvited, and there committed suicide. As a result, Shiva became enraged, killed Daksa, and destroyed the sacrifice. Carrying the body of Sati on his shoulder he danced in a way that threatened the cosmos. In order to stop Shiva’s dance, the God’s caused the body of Sati to disintegrate, causing the parts of her body fell to earth.

The Upanishads are Vedic Sanskrit texts of Hindu teachings and ideals. The Upanishadic texts are part of the Shruti literature and are considered to be divine in origin. Scholars differ in opinion on the number of Upanishads and what constitutes Upanishads, but many believe there to be 108 of these ancient texts, adding to the significance of this sacred number.

108 and the Sanskrit Alphabet

The Sanskrit alphabet is also part of why this number is so significant in yoga. The sanskrit alphabet is comprised of 54 letters. Each letter in the alphabet has both a masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti) energy. 54 multiplied by these two energies is 108.

108 Marma Points Cover the Human Body

Marma points are a juncture on the body where two or more types of tissue meet, yet they are much more than that. Marma points are intersections of the vital life force and prana, or breath. These points are thought to house the three Ayurvedic Doshas, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

108 of these points cover the human body and the major Marma points correspond to the seven chakras, or energy centers of the body. Traditionally marma points are grouped into 3 categories; those on the legs and feet, Sanakha Marma, on the trunk, Madhayamanga Marma, neck and head, Jatrurdhara Marma.

These points of life force energy throughout the body are yet another reason why the number 108 is so sacred.