As per Indian religion, Indian culture has a very special significance of the Number 108.
What does this number represent, and why is it so important?
1)
In one minute, we breathe in approximately 15 times, in 1 hour 900
times, And in 12 hours 10800 times, and in a day 10800 x times 2. A day
consists Of 24 hours, and if we set aside half the day for our day to
day routines, Then one can spend 12 hours for recitation of ones’ idol.
Therefore, the Maximmum number of times that one can recite a “mantra”,
or perform “Jap” are 10800. If one wants to obtain 100% benefit of its
jap, then performing Jap 108 times will give one the benefit of 100%.
That’s why in a “Mala,” (rosary, tasbi), there are 108 beads. It is
written in Vedas, that 1 Jap corresponds to 1 mala (which has 108
beads), therefore performing jap of 108 malas will Result in 100%
benefit.
2)
Astronomically, there are 27 constillations in our galaxy, and each one
them Has 4 directions, and 27x4=108. In other words, the number 108
covers The whole galaxy.
3)
According to Indian scriptures, letter 9 corresponds to Lord Brahma –
the Creator of universe. Mathematically, the interesting property of 9
is
9×1 = 9
9 x 2 = 18 (8+1 = 9)
9 x 3 = 27 (7+2 = 9)
9 x 12 = 108 (1+0+8 = 9)
Harshad
number: 108 is a Harshad number, which is an integer divisible by the
sum of its digits (Harshad is from Sanskrit, means “great joy”)
Desires: There are said to be 108 earthly desires in mortals.
Lies: There are said to be 108 lies that humans tell.
Delusions: There are said to be 108 human delusions or forms of ignorance.
Heart
Chakra: The chakras are the intersections of energy lines, and there
are said to be a total of 108 energy lines 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.
Sanskrit
alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each has
masculine and feminine terms, Shiva and shakti. 54 times 2 is 108.
Pranayama: If one is able to be so calm in meditation as to have only 108 breaths in a day, enlightenment will come.
Upanishads: Some say there are 108 Upanishads, texts of the wisdom of the ancient sages.
Sri Yantra:
On
the Sri Yantra there are marmas where three lines intersect, and there
are 54 such intersections. Each intersections has masculine and
feminine, Shiva and shakti qualities. 54 times 2 equals 108. Thus, there
are 108 points that define the Sri Yantra as well as the human bones.
Pentagon: The angle formed by two adjacent lines in a pentagon equals 108 degrees.
Marmas:
Marmas or marmasthanas are like energy intersections called chakras,
except have fewer energy lines converging to form them. There are said
to be 108 marmas in the subtle body.
Time: Some say there are 108 feelings, with 36 related to the past, 36 related to the present, and 36 related to the future.
8
extra beads: In doing a practice of counting the number of repetitions
of the mala, 100 are counted as completed. The remaining are said to
cover errors or omissions. The 8 are also said to be an offering to God
and Guru.
Chemistry:
Interestingly, there are about 115 elements known on the periodic table
of the elements. Most of those, around or higher than the number 100
only exist in the laboratory, and some for only a thousandths of a
second. The number that naturally exist on Earth is around 100.
Astrology:
There are 12 constellations, and 9 arc segments called namshas or
chandrakalas. 9 times 12 equals 108. Chandra is moon, and kalas are the
divisions within a whole.
River
Ganga: The sacred River Ganga spans a longitude of 12 degrees (79 to
91), and a latitude of 9 degrees (22 to 31) 12 times = 108.
Planets and Houses: In astrology, there are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 times 9 equals 108.
Goddess’ names: There are said to be 108 Indian goddess names.
Gopis of Krishna: In the Krishna tradition, there were said to be 108 gopis or maid servants of Krishna.
1,
0, and 8: Some say that 1 stands for God or higher Truth, 0 stands for
emptiness or completeness in spiritual practice, and 8 stands for
infinity or eternity.
Sun
and Earth: The diameter of the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the
Earth. The distance from the Sun to the Earth is 108 times the diameter
of the Sun.
Moon and Earth: The average distance of the Moon from the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Moon.
Silver and the moon: In astrology, the metal silver is said to represent the moon. The atomic weight of silver is 108.
Numerical
scale: The 1 of 108, and the 8 of 108, when added together equals 9,
which is the number of the numerical scale, i.e. 1, 2, 3 … 10, etc.,
where 0 is not a number.
Meditations: Some say there are 108 styles of meditation.
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.
Paths to God: Some suggest that there are 108 to God.
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.
Hinduism: 108 is said to refer to the number of Hindu deities. Some say that each of the deities has 108 names.
Islam: The number 108 is used in Islam to refer to God.
Jain:
In the Jain religion, 108 are the combined virtues of five categories
of holy ones, including 12, 8, 36, 25, and 27 virtues respectively.
Sikh: The Sikh tradition has a mala of 108 knots tied in a string of wool, rather than beads.
Buddhism:
Some Buddhists carve 108 small Buddhas on a walnut for good luck. Some
ring a bell 108 times to celebrate a new year. There are said to be 108
virtues to cultivate and 108 defilements to avoid.
Chinese:
The Chinese Buddhists and Taoists use a 108 bead mala, which is called
su-chu, and has three dividing beads, so the mala is divided into three
parts of 36 each. Chinese astrology says that there are 108 sacred
stars.
Stages of the soul: Said that Atman, the human soul or center goes through 108 stages on the journey.
Meru:
This is a larger bead, not part of the 108. It is not tied in the
sequence of the other beads. It is the guiding bead, the one that marks
the beginning and end of the mala.
Dance: There are 108 forms of dance in the Indian traditions.
Praiseworthy souls: There are 108 qualities of praiseworthy soul
The first manned space flight lasted 108 minutes, and was on April 12, 1961 by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut.
4)
In Hindu religion, number 9 is very important. Keeping the importance
of number 9, Rishi Vyas has created 9 Purans, 108 Maha Puran
(Upnishads). Mahabharat has 18 chapters, Geeta has 18 chapters, Bhagavat
has 108000 Shloks (verses).The addition of digits of number 108 is 9,
and number 9 is related with Brahma, that’s why 108 is very important,
and came into lot of Indian scriptures.
5)
Indian Vedas treat the Sun as God, and Sun has 12 signs (Zodiac
signs). In Yajurved, Sun is related with Lord Brahma (the number 9),
remember - 12 x 9 = 108; therefore for Gods’ Prayer, the number 108 is
very sacred.
6) According to Indian mythology, there are 4 Yugs (eons):
Satyayug – consists of 1728,000 years (1+7+2+8 = 18 = (1+8 = 9)
TretaYug consists of 1,296,000 years (1+2+9+6 = 18 = (1+8 = 9)
DwaparYug consists of 864,000 years (8+4+6) = 18 = (1+8 = 9)
Kaliyug consists of 432,000 years (4+3+2) = 9
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