Significance of 108

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The Indian Subcontinent rosary or set of mantra counting has 108 beads. 108

has been a sacred number in the Indian Subcontinent for a very long time. This

number is explained in many different ways.

 

 

 

The ancient Indians were excellent mathematicians and 108 may be the product

of a precise mathematical operation (e.g. 1 power 1 x 2 power 2 x 3 power 3 =

108) which was thought to have special numerological significance.

 

 

Powers of 1, 2, and 3 in math: 1 to 1st power=1; 2 to 2nd power=4 (2x2); 3 to

3rd power=27 (3x3x3). 1x4x27=108

 

 

Sanskrit alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each has

masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti. 54 times 2 is 108.

 

 

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 x 2 equals 108. Thus, there are 108

points that define the Sri Yantra as well as the human body.

 

 

9 times 12: Both of these numbers have been said to have spiritual

significance in many traditions. 9 times 12 is 108. Also, 1 plus 8 equals 9.

That 9 times 12 equals 108.

 

 

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.

Marmas: Marmas or marmastanas 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.

 

 

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.

 

 

Planets and Houses: In astrology, there are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 times

9 equals 108.

 

 

Gopis of Krishna: In the Krishna tradition, there were said to be 108 gopis or

maid servants of Krishna.

 

 

1, 0, and 8: 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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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 quiding bead, the one that marks the

beginning and end of the mala.

 

 

Dance: There are 108 forms of dance in the Indian traditions.

 

 

Pythagorean: The nine is the limit of all numbers, all others existing and

coming from the same. ie: 0 to 9 is all one needs to make up an infinite amount

of numbers.

 

 

We have listed below 108 Upanishads as per the list contained in the

Muktikopanishad . We have arranged them in four categories according to the

particular Veda to which each of them belong.

 

 

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, Dattatreya, Kaivalya,

NrsimhatapanI, Ramatapani, Ramarahasya, HayagrIva, Atharvasikha, Atharvasira,

Ganapati, Brhajjabala, Bhasmajabala, Sarabha, Annapurna, TripuratapanI, Devi,

Bhavana, SIta.

 

 

 

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