Guest guest Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 Namaste Brian, Did you mean (9+9+9)*4 ? Is 9*9*9*4 another number of mystical significance ? My thanks to my friend for providing the following link http://www.hknet.org.nz/108meaning.html JAI MAA Latha , "Brian McKee" <brian@s...> wrote: > I thought about this for a long long time. I posed the question to Swamiji, "What is so special about 9x9x9x4?" He replied something on the order of, "The nines become the four." Which I didn't understand (and still don't). Lately I've been wanting to think less, but here's what I've come up with. Numerologically we know what 1 means: power. And we know what 8 means: teacher.And we know what 9 means: spirit.So from that perspective 108 is a great number. But lets look at it from the perspective I thought about before: 9 times 9 times 9 times 4 or 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 4. Its almost like a Yantra in its geometric pattern. Six triangles and a square. The triangles represent the trinities, all six of them, I suspect five for the senses and one for spirit. The four represents the same thing as the square in the triangle square circle dot yantra that we draw in pujas, although I haven't figured out what the sqare symbolizes, maybe the four lower bodies. Six also is a good number because it represents desire, so we desire balance of the threes and the four. We desire the bindu. This is all just mental specualtion. I actually don't know the answer. Great question. Brian "In the begining, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move." -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy Radio Program.--- On Wed 04/21, Latha Nanda < lathananda > wrote:Latha Nanda [ lathananda]: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 17:06:52 -0000 Basics of Puja : 108Namaste all,Here is a question for us to ponder over ...Anyone know the significance of the number '108' when chanting mantras ? Why is it such a sacred number?JAI MAALatha------------------------ Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or LexmarkPrinter at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada.http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp? cid=5511http://us.click./mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/XUWolB/TM----- -------------------------------~- > Links<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:/<*> To from this group, send an email to:- <*> Your use of is subject to: > > _____________ > No banners. No pop-ups. No kidding. > Make My Way your home on the Web - http://www.myway.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 Hi, There are many theories for this, some of which I can attempt to explain below. 3 is good unit for chanting mantras. Any multiple of 3 is also good. hence 108 is one chosen "unit" for chanting a mantra. But why 108 only is not exactly clear from this theory. Another theory I have heard is that there are 12 months in a year and 9 planets (navagrahas) that we are concerned in spiritual life. 12*9=108. So, each round of chanting is to cover for an entire year; no less, no more. A third theory is with the nakhshatras. There are 27 nakshatras (lunar days) and 4 vedas. 27*4 = 108. Hence each round of 108 chants covers us for all 4 vedas for each nakhshatra, thus ensuring harmony with the astrological forces that govern our life. I use the word 'theory' here in the sense that this is the limit of my information, not that the wisdom in it is limited. Wiser people can probably explain this much better. Hope some of this helps. Jai Ma! , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Namaste all, > > Here is a question for us to ponder over ... > > Anyone know the significance of the number '108' when chanting > mantras ? Why is it such a sacred number? > > JAI MAA > Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 0 or more to the US & Canada.http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511http://us.click./mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/XUWolB/TM---~-> Groups Links<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:/<*> To from this group, send an email to:<*> Your use of Groups is subject to:No banners. No pop-ups. No kidding.Make My Way your home on the Web - http://www.myway.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 Maybe....108 as a compound number is associated with the Sun (1) and Saturn (8). One: the absolute principle, the Bija. And 8:perfection, justice, mother..an "evenly even number". When reduced 108 produced nine (1(0)+8=9) the planet Mars (Mangala)...and loads of 9 things: NavaDurgas etc.. PLUS the root of 9 is the amazing number: 3.... (unity plus diversity=perfection ...1+2=3)....Ow, my head hurts! And still, even though I can see how complex 108 is and how many other numbers of maHA importance in Hindu tradition it contains....I don't know the answer to this riddle. It seems to embrace Vedic astrology as well as Creation theory and alot of other things.....108 gopis dancing for Krishna and 108 places where the parts of Devi's body fell to Earth...108 places of worship that arose ...... This looks like a job for.,......Swamiji!! love, sadhvi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 i don't know, but i am beginning to suspect parvati's choice of handle was not arbitrary! :-) steve , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Namaste all, > > Here is a question for us to ponder over ... > > Anyone know the significance of the number '108' when chanting > mantras ? Why is it such a sacred number? > > JAI MAA > Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Here is what Swamiji has to say on the subject: There are 54 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet. The letters of sanskrit are the bij mantras for all of the objects that can possibly come into evolution. That is why we have 108 on the maala. It is a sacred number. There are 54 vibrations of evolution and 54 steps to return to the source.(involution) The 109th bead is the Brahma bead. We use 108 to indicate the entirety of all of creation. The real japa is ajapa which is without count. It keeps on going. We keep saying the mantra until the mantra says us. , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Namaste all, > > Here is a question for us to ponder over ... > > Anyone know the significance of the number '108' when chanting > mantras ? Why is it such a sacred number? > > JAI MAA > Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 when one says counts the beads, do we not cross the Brahma bead, but then count in the opposite direction? i see this on some web sites. still a newbie, s , "parvati_saraswati108" <parvati_saraswati108> wrote: > Here is what Swamiji has to say on the subject: > > There are 54 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet. The letters of > sanskrit are the bij mantras for all of the objects that can > possibly come into evolution. That is why we have 108 on the > maala. It is a sacred number. There are 54 vibrations of > evolution and 54 steps to return to the source.(involution) The > 109th bead is the Brahma bead. We use 108 to indicate the > entirety of all of creation. The real japa is ajapa which is without > count. It keeps on going. We keep saying the mantra until the > mantra says us. > > > > > , "Latha Nanda" > <lathananda> wrote: > > Namaste all, > > > > Here is a question for us to ponder over ... > > > > Anyone know the significance of the number '108' when > chanting > > mantras ? Why is it such a sacred number? > > > > JAI MAA > > Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 I don't until I am ready to transmigrate over. The Brahma bead might come in handy at the time of exuviation. I've seen people crossing over their Brahma beads that appeared far too young to die. My understanding of this might be faulty, so I look forward to hearing from others regarding the Brahma bead on our malas. , "bingo_ridley" <sconnor@a...> wrote: > when one says counts the beads, do we not cross the Brahma bead, but > then count in the opposite direction? i see this on some web sites. > > still a newbie, > > s > > , "parvati_saraswati108" > <parvati_saraswati108> wrote: > > Here is what Swamiji has to say on the subject: > > > > There are 54 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet. The letters of > > sanskrit are the bij mantras for all of the objects that can > > possibly come into evolution. That is why we have 108 on the > > maala. It is a sacred number. There are 54 vibrations of > > evolution and 54 steps to return to the source.(involution) The > > 109th bead is the Brahma bead. We use 108 to indicate the > > entirety of all of creation. The real japa is ajapa which is > without > > count. It keeps on going. We keep saying the mantra until the > > mantra says us. > > > > > > > > > > , "Latha Nanda" > > <lathananda> wrote: > > > Namaste all, > > > > > > Here is a question for us to ponder over ... > > > > > > Anyone know the significance of the number '108' when > > chanting > > > mantras ? Why is it such a sacred number? > > > > > > JAI MAA > > > Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Steve, That's how I do it. I've also heard it called the guru bead. I always think of the guru when I come to it. Chris , "bingo_ridley" <sconnor@a...> wrote: > when one says counts the beads, do we not cross the Brahma bead, but > then count in the opposite direction? i see this on some web sites. > > still a newbie, > > s > > , "parvati_saraswati108" > <parvati_saraswati108> wrote: > > Here is what Swamiji has to say on the subject: > > > > There are 54 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet. The letters of > > sanskrit are the bij mantras for all of the objects that can > > possibly come into evolution. That is why we have 108 on the > > maala. It is a sacred number. There are 54 vibrations of > > evolution and 54 steps to return to the source.(involution) The > > 109th bead is the Brahma bead. We use 108 to indicate the > > entirety of all of creation. The real japa is ajapa which is > without > > count. It keeps on going. We keep saying the mantra until the > > mantra says us. > > > > > > > > > > , "Latha Nanda" > > <lathananda> wrote: > > > Namaste all, > > > > > > Here is a question for us to ponder over ... > > > > > > Anyone know the significance of the number '108' when > > chanting > > > mantras ? Why is it such a sacred number? > > > > > > JAI MAA > > > Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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