Gita Satsangh, ................ The Magic of 'Numbers'

[Guest guest]

Thank you Ram-ji for a very interesting post ! and Thank you Nair-ji

for 'embellishing' the thread!

 

 

There are '9' Planets = 9x1 - 9 avaranas in Sri Chakra - 9 vidhis in

Puja etc etc

 

There are '18' Puranas - 9x2=18

 

There are '36' Tattwas - 9x4=36

 

and then are 108 beads on a japa mala - 1+0+8 +9 and all

gods/essesses have 108 names !

 

Let me reproduce here a humorous message that appeared in my group

Brahmanshakti! Enjoy !

 

really_i_am" <really_i_am

Wed Jul 31, 2002 1:36 pm

Re: 108 names.... really_i_am

 

Btw number 9 in hindu numerology represents the brahma-tattwa due to

its similar behaviour.

 

It does not change the root number(which is the sum total of all

digits in a number, summed up again and again until a single digit

number is arrived at) at all, quite very much similar to zero in this

aspect.

for eg.3486, 3+4+8+6=21=2+1=3

now if any number of nines or zeroes are added, it doesn't matter

34869, 3+4+8+6+9=30=3+0=3 and so on...

 

Root number carries great significance in numerology and is supposed

to express the basic(root) nature of any big number. So in fact all

numbers can be boiled down to basically nine root numbers.

In ancient India, arithmetic/philosophy/religion/science evolved

simultaneously as simply jnana-vijnana. There appears to be very deep

arithmetic/philosophy behind the intervening 8 root numbers between

the zero and 9.

 

Roughly speaking, zero is somewhat akin to the void mentioned in

Buddhist philosophy or Shiva or "Purusha" in Samkhya-Darshan

The number 9 being more closer to the concept of all pervading

Shakthi or Prakriti.

Both schools do however stress upon the sameness of the two, meaning

that the void is actually all pervading and vice-versa similarly-

Shiva-Shakthi(Ardhanareeshwara), Purusha-Prakriti etc...

There is no end to characterising 0 and 9 variously indicating their

sameness yet different.

 

So then the nothingness of zero and the all pervasiveness of nine the

same? One excluding all and the other including all, can they be the

same?

Yes and no, just depends upon the observer, the meditator...

this simply goes to prove that jnana is a highly subjective field and

the objectivity of modern science begin to lose significance in the

finer aspects.

If 9 and 0 are a class apart then it can be interesting to

investigate into the significance of the next highest number ie 8,

the auspicious number 7, and so on

the number 1 so clearly and nicely signifying the smaller 'ego' or

the first thought of 'I am' in comparision to the mysterious ultimate

singularity of 0 (or 9 for that matter),

Number 2 showing the fragmentation of thought into 'I' and 'You',

3 = I, You, He/She

4 = I, You, They both (Sanskrit as a language differentiates between

singular,dual and plural)

5 = I, You, They

6 = We, They(Enmity!)

7 = We all(Very auspicious isn't it?)

8 = I, They all(Eight is a very powerful number carrying apparently

negative shades, but symbolises the power of a king over his subjects)

 

And there are only eight fingers, no ninth or zero'eth one!(May be,

the old man sitting in the clouds may have them?). Wonder what the

thumbs are all about, just for assisting the fingers or only

twiddling?

 

So maths is not so dry after all, it seems to be born out of the

politics of the 'ego'!, but not without divine help in the form of 0

and 9 ! Seems to be a technical way to clearly explain the whole

confusion which may appeal to some, also appears to be an universal

language(can use it with the aliens!)

 

'nothing really'

 

**********************************************************************

WHY 108 BEADS ON A jAPA MALA ?

 

In the first place, the radius of the sun is 108 times the radius of

the earth and for all of us, both the earth and the sun are of

primary importance and they greatly count in our day to day lives;

 

secondly, there are 12 prominent constellations (Rashis) and 9

heavenly Bodies (Navagrahas) that are nearby. The have a direct

effect on human welfare, and 12 x 9 = 108; and thirdly, 1 plus zero

plus 8 equal 9, which is the highest in the numerical scale. That is

why our enlightened Swamis are referred to as Swami 108 or 1008

 

There are also 108 techniques of meditation or 108 paths of reaching

God. So, one should not be in a hurry to judge that other paths of

reaching God are wrong. At the end of 108 counting beads of a mala,

there is a large bead, symbolic of the Ultimate Divine. That is why,

the seeker doing Japa does not cross the large bead again but

reverses the counting systematically, till one reaches the large head

again, and so on, the process is repeated, making sure that one day,

the seeker will certainly approach God, as a result of Japa, or any

other method of god realization. "

 

There are of course 108 upanishads!

 

**********************************************************************

HERE IS HOW TO REMEMBER THE NUMBERS :

 

ZERO- 0 -'Nothing' except BraHman!

 

ONE-1- EKAM SAD - ONLY ONE TRUTH

 

TWO 2- two principles- sad and asad - two birds on the tree (

upanishads)

 

Three - 3- Brahma , Vishnu , Shiva ; Saraswati, Lakshmi, Parvati ,

The three Gunas - Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas ; The three planes - Bhur

Bhuvah swah; Sthoola . sukshma and Karana sarira ; Three schools-

Advaita , Dwaita, Vishishtadwaita ; Jiva , Ishwaera and Brahman !

 

 

Four -4- The four vedas - Rig, Yajur , Athharva , sama veda ; The

four noble truths in Buddhism ; The four levels of consciousness -i)

waking (ii)dreaming, (iii) dreamless sleep and pure consciousness :

the four levels of speech - VAIKHARI, Madhyama, PASHYANTI AND

PARAVANI! THE FOUR YOGAS- bhakti, jnana , karma and raja ; the four

yugas- dwapara, satya, treta and kali !

 

 

Five -5- The Pancha kosas -Annamaya , PranAmaya , ManoNmaya ,

Vigyanmaya and Anandmaya; The five vital forces -PRANA, APANA, VYANA,

UDANA and SAMANA; The five subtle elements are viz., space, air,

fire, water and earth; the five Karmendriyas ; the five jnanedriyas '

Five faces of Lord Shiva - Isanam, Thatpurusham, Agoram, Vamadevam

and Satyojatam and of course the Pancha Pandavas !

 

Six-6- The six Darshanas -1) Nyaya 2)Vaisesika 3)Sankhya

4)Yoga 5)Purva (karma) Mimamsa 6) Uttara (brahma) Mimamsa ; The six

faced Shanmukha

 

Seven -7- The 'sapta' rishis - The 'seven' Chakras and seven Nadis-

the seven days of the week

 

Eight -8 - the 8 vasus; the eight handed Durga - Krishna , the 8th

avatar

 

nine -9- the nine planets - the nine gates of sin in the body

 

Ten 10- The ten avatars- the ten headed demon Ravana

 

Eleven -11- THE ELEVEN RUDRAS !

 

**********************************************************************

 

ENJOY! please feel free to add, subtract, multiply, divide etc!