Significance of 108 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 power x ! power ! " 108# which was thought to have special numerological significance. $owers of 1% % and ! in math& 1 to 1st power"1' 1x(x )"108 to nd power"( ( x #' ! to !rd power" ) (!x!x!#.

Sans*rit alphabet& There are +( letters in the Sans*rit alphabet. ,ach has masculine and feminine% shiva and sha*ti. +( times is 108. Sri -antra& .n the Sri -antra there are marmas where three lines intersect% and there are +( such intersections. ,ach intersections has masculine and feminine% shiva and sha*ti /ualities. +( x e/uals 108. Thus% there are 108 points that define the Sri -antra as well as the human body. 0 times 1 & 1oth of these numbers have been said to have spiritual significance in many traditions. 0 times 1 is 108. 2lso% 1 plus 8 e/uals 0. That 0 times 1 e/uals 108. 3eart 4ha*ra& The cha*ras are the intersections of energy lines% and there are said to be a total of 108 energy lines converging to form the heart cha*ra. .ne of them% sushumna leads to the crown cha*ra% and is said to be the path to Self5reali6ation. 7armas& 7armas or marmastanas are li*e energy intersections called cha*ras% 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 !8 related to the past% !8 related to the present% and !8 related to the future. 2strology& There are 1 constellations% and 0 arc segments called namshas or chandra*alas. 0 times 1 e/uals 108. 4handra is moon% and *alas are the divisions within a whole. $lanets and 3ouses& In astrology% there are 1 houses and 0 planets. 1 times 0 e/uals 108. 9opis of :rishna& In the :rishna tradition% there were said to be 108 gopis or maid servants of :rishna. 1% 0% and 8& 1 stands for 9od or higher Truth% 0 stands for emptiness or completeness in spiritual practice% and 8 stands for infinity or eternity. Sun and ,arth& The diameter of the sun is 108 times the diameter of the ,arth. ;umerical scale& The 1 of 108% and the 8 of 108% when added together e/uals 0% which is the number of the numerical scale% i.e. 1% % ! ... 10% etc.% where 0 is not a number. Smaller divisions& The number 108 is divided% such as in half% third% /uarter% or twelfth% so that some malas have +(% !8% )% or 0 beads. Islam& The number 108 is used in Islam to refer to 9od. <ain& In the <ain religion% 108 are the combined virtues of five categories of holy ones% including 1 % 8% !8% +% and ) virtues respectively.

Si*h& The Si*h tradition has a mala of 108 *nots tied in a string of wool% rather than beads. 4hinese& The 4hinese 1uddhists and Taoists use a 108 bead mala% which is called su5chu% and has three dividing beads% so the mala is divided into three parts of !8 each. Stages of the soul& Said that 2tman% the human soul or center goes through 108 stages on the =ourney. 7eru& This is a larger bead% not part of the 108. It is not tied in the se/uence of the other beads. It is the /uiding bead% the one that mar*s the beginning and end of the mala. >ance& There are 108 forms of dance in the Indian traditions. $ythagorean& The nine is the limit of all numbers% all others existing and coming from the same. ie& 0 to 0 is all one needs to ma*e up an infinite amount of numbers. ?e have listed below 108 @panishads as per the list contained in the 7u*ti*opanishad . ?e have arranged them in four categories according to the particular Aeda to which each of them belong. Bigveda(10#& 2itareya % 2tmabodha% :aushita*i% 7udgala% ;irvana% ;adabindu% 2*shamaya% Tripura% 1ahvru*a% Saubhagyala*shmi. -a=urveda(+0#& :atha% Taittiriya % Isavasya % 1rihadaranya*a% 2*shi% ,*a*shara% 9arbha% $rnagnihotra% Svetasvatara% Sarira*a% Su*arahasya% S*anda% Sarvasara% 2dhyatma% ;iralamba% $aingala% 7antri*a% 7u*ti*a% Subala% 2vadhuta% :atharudra% 1rahma% <abala% Turiyatita% $aramahamsa% 1hi*shu*a% -a=naval*ya% Satyayani% 2mrtanada% 2mrtabindu% :shuri*a% Te=obindu% >hyanabindu% 1rahmavidya% -oga*undalinI% -ogatattva% -ogasi*ha% Aaraha% 2dvayatara*a% Trisi*hibrahmana% mandalabrahmana% 3amsa% :alisantaraaa% ;arayana% Tarasara% :alagnirudra% >a*shinamurti% $ancabrahma% Budrahrdaya% SarasvatIrahasya. SamaAeda(18#& :ena% 4handogya% 7ahat% 7aitrayani% Aa=rasuci% Savitri% 2runeya% :undi*a% 7aitreyi% Samnyasa% <abaladarsana% -ogacudaman% 2vya*ta% Aasudevai% <abali% Budra*sha=abala. 2tharvaveda(! #& $rasna % 7andu*ya% 7unda*a% 2tma% Surya% ;arada5$arivra=a*as% $arabrahma% $aramahamsa5$arivra=a*as% $asupatha51rahma% 7ahava*ya% Sandilya% :rishna% 9aruda% 9opalatapani% Tripadavibhuti5mahnarayana% >attatreya% :aivalya% ;rsimhatapanI% Bamatapani% Bamarahasya% 3ayagrIva% 2tharvasi*ha% 2tharvasira% 9anapati% 1rha==abala% 1hasma=abala% Sarabha% 2nnapurna% TripuratapanI% >evi% 1havana% SIta.