Why do we chant mantras 108 times?
A mala has 108 beads. There are 108 Upanishads, 108 Divya Desams, 108 names of every deity. Why 108? The tradition offers many answers — some mathematical, some astronomical, some symbolic.
The number everywhere
Japa malas have 108 beads, plus one larger bead, the meru or guru bead, which is never crossed. Deities have ashtottara-shatanama — "108 names". Tradition counts 108 Upanishads, 108 Divya Desams of Vishnu, and 108 Shakti Peethas in some lists. Why this number?
The explanations
There is no single scriptural verse that explains 108, and traditional teachers offer several answers. Some are about the sky, some about numbers, and one about the human heart…
The journey continues for members
- The answers people give
- How to use a mala
- For life today
Sources
- Muktika Upanishad — lists 108 Upanishads
- Traditional japa practice