This is a follow up to the last piece - Magic Numbers.

Nine

The number 9 is also a magic number closely associated with 108. If you add the numbers in 108 and we get the number 9 which is the highest number on the numerical scale from 1 to 9. After that there is a repetition. In fact the magic of the number 9 is that if you add the numbers of any multiple of 9 it will still be 9. What this means is that you can multiply 9 with any number however big and the answer would still add up to 9 as you might have noticed. 

Hinduism has always recognised the magic of numbers and this is why we find that this number is found many times in our astrology and astronomy. There are 9 grahas or planets which influence us on this earth. – Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu. These are known as the Nava Grahas. The time taken by the earth to go round the sun is 12 months as we know and our zodiac is divided into twelve signs or raasis, one for every month from Aries to Pisces. If we multiply 12 by 9 we get the magic number 108 which adds up to 9. Thus we see that the number 9 is something which influences both Vedic astrology and all geometry. This in turn is connected with the navaratnas or 9 precious stones. Each stone corresponds to one planet and thus it is said that we can offset the negative influences of any malefic planet by wearing the corresponding stone. We can also wear a 9-stone ring or necklace which can balance the energies of all the planets simultaneously. It is important to place the ruby in the middle of the ring or pendent signifying the fact that the sun is the centre of our solar system and all other planets go round it.

These stones are

1. Ruby (manikyam) for Surya or sun.

2. Pearl (muktaphalam) for Chandra or moon.

3. Red Coral (vidrumam) for Mangala or Mars.

4. Emerald (maratakam) for Budha or Mercury.

5. Yellow sapphire (pushparajam) for Brihaspati or Jupitor.

6. Diamond (vajram) for Shukra or Venus.

7. Blue Sapphire (neelam) for Shani or Saturn.

8. Hessonite (gomeda) for Rahu – the ascending lunar node.

9. Cat’s eye (vaiduryam) for Ketu,  the descending lunar node.

According to the Hindu calculation of time, there are 4 yugas or eons. Satyuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and Kali Yuga. Now let us see how many years these consist of. Satyayuga consists of 172,800 years (1+7+2+8 = 18), (1+8 = 9). Treta Yuga consists of 1296,000 years (1+2+9+6 = 18), (1+8 = 9) Dwapara Yuga consists of 864,000 years (8+4+6= 18), (1+8 = 9) Kaliyuga consists of 432000 years (4+3+2) = 9.

Vyasa has written 18 Puranas. When you add 1+8 we get 9. The Mahabharata has 18 parvas or books and the Bhagavad Gita has 18 chapters. The Bhagavata Purana has 108,000 shlokas (verses). As we have seen if you add these numbers you get the magic number 9.

We have seen the astronomical significance of this number. Now let us see how this number is woven into our very heart beat. The heart-beat of a healthy person would be 72 beats per minute. As you know this can be added to get 9. If you have high blood pressure it would 99 beats per minute. If you go much below this you would have low blood pressure. We have 7,200 nadis (energy paths) in our body, 3,600 on each side. Of course these numbers also add up to 9. So we see how the number is closely related to our human system.

Now let us consider a circle. It has 360 degrees which when added up leaves us with 9. An equilateral triangle has three angles of 60 degrees which adds up to 180 which add up to 9. A square has 4 angles of 90 degrees each which when added up makes 360 which when added gives you 9. So all these geometric figures are intricately connected with the number 9.

Twelve

Now let us take a look at another number which is commonly used by all ancient civilizations. This is the number 12. Why is this number used all over the world? It is only now that the world has gone digital and has started counting in tens instead of 12. Why are there 12 inches in a foot? It would make mathematics so much easier if we could count in tens. But the fact is that we have 12 hours of sunshine and 12 hours of moonshine adding up to 24 hours in one full day consisting of a day and a night. Again there are 60 minutes in one hour and it can be divided by 12. There are 60 seconds in each minute which again can be divided by 12. This is a natural way of measurement and that is why all ancient systems followed this.

The number is also connected to the human body. We have 12 pairs of ribs and 12 cranial nerves. We also have a tube called the Duodenum which is 12 inches long (that is the meaning of the word). It is located between the stomach and the middle part of the small intestine and plays a most important part in our digestion.

We have 12 jyotirlingas or temples Shiva where the lingas are said to have been self- created.

Let us see how this number plays a deep part in our physical bodies. By the age of 12 all children would have lost their baby teeth. A girl starts her menstrual cycle at the age of 12. A boy starts growing facial hair at the age of 12. After 12 they enter their adolescence. They enter their teens. So this number is closely connected with our bodily rhythms.

Even though we are not aware of it, the fact is that this number is embedded in the bodies of all living beings. All living things are made of carbon and the atomic mass of carbon is 12. An average human would consume 1200 kilos calories in every 12 hours!

This number is an intrinsic part of our religion which is known as the Sanatana Dharma because it is the most ancient culture which was followed by ancient civilisations. When Christianity came into existence they absorbed this ancient knowledge. There were 12 tribes of Israel and 12 legions of angels.  Jesus had 12 apostles. The symbol of the cross existed long before Christianity. If you look closely at a cross of the ancient design it has 12 corners. Buddhism also followed this pattern. 

Both these numbers 12 and 9 are fundamental to the design of 108. 12 times 9 is 108. Without this number we would not have a planet. This is why this number keeps repeating itself in Hinduism. This is how nature has designed us and the fact is that without this magic number - 108 our solar system and our earth would not have come into existence!

Aum Tat Sat