- Some of the greatest mathematicians of the world ere from ancient India. Mathematics and Hinduism have always been interrelated. In fact Hinduism is very much based on mathematical analysis. 

In Shri Bhagwat Gita (2.17), Lord Krishna has said 

one that pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul

Body is one. Which is destructive and will be nothing but the soul is infinite 

This whole phrase is summed in the number 108. Body (1) of an individual will turn into nothing (0) once the indestructible soul which is infinite (8). Hence the number 108. The sum of the number 108 is 9. 9 is very auspicious number in Hinduism. The sum of the digits in the 9 time table always remains 9. For example 9*2=18 1+8=9. This we see that 9 is internal indestructible number. 

Human baby remains in the womb for 9 months. This time is allotted to humans by nature. So we humans are associated with the number since birth. 

Our body has 9 openings through which our soul exits- two eyes, two nostrils, mouth, two ears, anus, and genital

According to astrology there are 9 planets and 12 houses. 9*12=108. There are 27 nakshatra (2+7=9)who are considered to be the wives of the moon. The moon is associated with silver metal which is said to cool down the mind. The atomic weight of silver is also 108. 

Ayurveda recognises 108 pressure points where consciousness intersects muscles in our body. On an average a healthy heart beats 72 times. (7+2=9). 108 degrees is the vital point at which organs state failing due to over heat. There are 72000 energy channels in human body out of which 108 are connected to the heart. 

A. Now let’s look at some cultural beliefs

The greatest epic of all times The Mahabharata has 18 chapters. In this epic the war took place for 18 days which was because of 108 people 100 Kaurava with 11 armies 5 Pandava with 7 armies and Krishna. So in total there were 18 armies. Bhagwatgita that emerges in between this battlefield also has 18 chapters. 

Lord Vishnu had to cut off the dead body of Devi Sati into 108 parts with his surdarshan chakra to stabilise lord shivas psychological imbalance caused by his wife’s death. 

There are 108 main ganas or ‘mukhyaganas’ in shiva’s tribe. This is why 108 beaded rosary is used to worship Shiva. According to purana there are 108 moves in shiva’s tandava or the cosmic dance thing can be used in combats and exercise. Many of these poses are used in yoga and Kung fu. The world’s oldest form of martial art kalaripayattu, also exercises these cosmic poses. God’s own language Sanskrit has 54 letters. These letters have masculine aspects, Shiva and feminine aspects, Shakti. Altogether there are 108 aspects in the oldest and most scientifically perfect language. Ganga the most holy river which has come down from Shiva’s jatas spreads across 9 degree latitude and 12 degrees longitude (12*9=108). 

B. Accounting to Vedas :

The diameter of the sun (1391016 million km) is 108 times the diameter of earth.

The distance between earth and sun is approximately 108 times the diameter of the sun. 

The distance between earth and moon is 108 times the diameter of the moon. 

In Ayurveda there are 108 medicines that can either cure or kill a person.