Why are there 108 beads in a rosary?
In the Yogchudamani Upanishad it is said:
108 beads are stringed together to make a rosary because it is related to the frequency of our breath. In 24 hours, one breaths 21,600 times. 12 hours are spent in the daily routine. That leaves us 12 hours for devotion to God. This means that each day 10,800 times breathing should be utilised for devotion to God. However, since this is not practical, the two zeroes have been removed. Therefore, breathing 108 times is appropriate during prayers.
The second explanation is based upon astrology. The entire universe is divided into 12 segments. Each represents a sign of the Zodiac. In Hindu religious texts, there are principally Navgrah (nine planets) that affect us. With 12 segments and 9 planets, when the two are multiplied we get the figure 108. Therefore, the number 108 represents the universe and controls our success.
As per another explanation, Hindu sages located 27 constellations, each of 27 stars. Since each constellation has four steps, 27 multiplied by 4 is 108.
This number exudes purity.
Comments are closed