Have you often wondered what defines the significance of the number 108? Why 108 and what it implies is detailed in the blog.
Did you also know that the number 108 is sacred and significant in many ways, right from Astronomy, Mathematics, Allied Sciences, and Ayurveda to Yoga?
Coveted as a highly distinguished number, 108 represents the wholeness of existence and has held spiritual significance since ancient times.
This blog unravels 11 popularly interesting snippets behind the significant number 108 & the importance it holds universally.
Vedic astrologers determined that the average distance between the sun, moon, and earth is 108 times their respective diameters. So 108 is viewed as a number of wholeness and existence.
The traditional Japa mala (prayer bead) used for meditation has 108 beads, plus one Guru bead around which the 108 beads fit like planets around the sun.
Apart from the fact that 108 appear in ancient, sacred texts, there are 108 Upanishads (Vedic texts) available to us.
In numerology 108 equals 9 (1+0=8 =9) which is symbolic of universal love, eternity and awakening.
The numbers 1, 0, and 8 represent one thing (1), nothing (0) and everything that is infinity or timeless (9) representing the belief of the ultimate reality of the universe as being simultaneously one, empty and infinite.
Ayurveda talks of 108 sacred points on the body called MARMA. Marmas are points where two or more tissues meet. Marma points in Ayurveda are the connections of the life force ‘Prana’. Marmas points are believed to contain the three doshas – Vata, Pita & Kapha. Marma points also connect with seven chakras or energy centres in the body.
The chakras are the intersections of the subtle nerve channels called ‘Nadis’. There are said to be 108 Nadis converging to form the heart chakra. One of them is the Susumna Nadi which leads to the crown chakra & is said to be the path of Self-realization.
In Yoga 108 is significant of spiritual completion. Practising 108 Sun Salutations is a meditative practice that connects the body, the mind, and the universe, especially to honour mother nature when she undergoes a change in season, especially during the spring and fall equinox (meaning Equal Night), when Surya Namaskaras are completed in 9 rounds with 12 postures in each round which when multiplied, adds up to 108. Yogis practice 108 Sun Salutations to feel renewed and release energies that no longer serve their purpose & celebrate this sacred universal shift.
The Sanskrit script comprises of 54 letters. Each letter has masculine and feminine energies (Shiva & Shakti). The numerical 54, when multiplied by these two energies, is 108.
There are 108 Pithas (sacred sites) all across India. Pithas are considered to be seats of the Goddess. These 108 Pithas are important pilgrim sites for a sect of devotees ( Shakthi devotees). In a nutshell, pithas are derived from the Mahabharata; according to a popular legend, it involves the death of Goddess Sati, daughter of Daksha and wife of Shiva.
In Buddhism, a bell is chimed 108 times to mark the end of an old year; this is because, among the Buddhist doctrines, there are 108 types of earthly desires. So every Buddhist has to overcome these 108 temptations on the path to seeking nirvana.
In conclusion, the sacredness of 108 began thousands of years ago.
These interesting revelations and many more such disclosures infer the auspiciousness behind this sacred number that binds the human race to the cosmos.
There does exist a deep, sacred connection wired into the DNA of our existence that is both mysterious and destined.
