06/11/2022
What is the significance of 108 in Hinduism?
108 is the basis of creation, represents the universe and all our existence.Number 108 units represents the distance between our body and the God within us. According to Ayurveda, we have 108 marma points (vital points of life forces) in our body. All mantras are chanted 108 times because each chant represents a journey from our material self towards our highest spiritual self. There are said to be 108 styles of meditation. Our body contains seven chakras, Each chakra is said to be an energy center within our body. The heart chakra is said to have 108 nadi (energy lines) that converge to form this energy center.Also, in Hinduism there are 108 Upanishads, the sacred texts of wisdom from ancient sages. Additionally, in the Sanskrit alphabet, there are 54 letters. Each letter has a feminine, or Shakti, and masculine, or Shiva, quality. 54 multiplied by 2 equals 108.
In astrology, 108 can be noticed with the approximate relationships the Sun, Earth, and Moon. The diameter of the Sun is 108 times the diameter of Earth. The distance from the Sun to Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Sun. The distance from the Earth to Moon is 108 times the diameter of the moon. Lastly, there are 12 astrological houses and 9 planets. 12 multiplied by 9 equals 108. Additionally, 108 is associated with the River Ganga and Stonehenge. River Ganga spans a longitude of 12 degrees (79 to 91) and latitude of 9 degrees (22 to 31). 12 multiplied by 9 equals 108. Stonehenge’s diameter has been measured to be 108 feet in diameter. Lastly, 108 is a Harshad number. Such a number is an integer divisible by the sum of its digits. In Sanskrit, harsa means “joy” and da means “give”. Thus, Harshad translates to “joy giver.”