[Advaita-l] Why Holi mantras chanted 108 times: the number 10

yajvan yajvan at san.rr.com
Sat Jan 9 19:55:41 CST 2010


 hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté 
I wrote in a previous post:

Here is my view ( if there is interest) on this 100... I have been taught it has further meaning beyond just a number of life Span to 100... It starts with 10.
So what of this 10?   It is 1 + 0. the Fullness of nirguṇa ( 0 ) + the fullness of saguṇa ( 1 ) gives total fullness. 

Both are full in themselves and is represented by this 1+0 or 10.
This is the wisdom found in the application of 10; '10' is code, inference, the insight, the symbol for full-ness and aligns to Brahman.

___________________________________________________

A bit more on this 10 ,

As I see and read, the notion of 10 is key - the offer of 10 directions is a symbol, hint, information ( saṃketa ) that tells us there is no place this Being is not. 

WE will find  the make-up of this 10 as 1 + 0 , and 5 + 5 and as 4+3+2+1. This wisdom ( for me) goes beyond brilliant. But what does the 5 & 5 represent ? That is reviewed in this Chāndogya Upaniṣad. 

What of this 4+3+2+1 ? We will find it in kṛta ( the number 4) offered in th Chāndogya Upaniṣad. That of a die ( dice). This 4 contains within it 3, 2 and 1 . If we sum it up we get ( 4+3+2+1) 10.
Yet it is worthy of note that this section is an instruction by the muni raikva (a jñāin) to jānaśruti , a King. 

This is the wisdom the jñāin offers to define the ~nature~ of Brahman.  That is, raikva gives examples of Brahman with form and formless. This is easy to see ( IMHO) as there is no thing He/It/She is not.

But what are they trying to tell me? -->  daśa santaiḥ tat kṛtam - What is created of that One becomes 10. (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 4.3.8)
He is the One that shines ( rāṭ ) in every specific form ( vi ) ~ virāṭ ¹ ~ . He manifests in all the worlds.

praṇām

words
vi is from dvi mean in parts, directions, distribution. the rsi applies it to mean 'specific forms' or diversity. 
virāṭ is the form of virāj to be illustrious or eminent , shine forth , shine out ; we also know this word as a
ruler, to reign , rule , govern , master 
the first progeny of brahmā having divided his own substance into male and female , produced from the female the male power virāj





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