Om Namah Shivaya 108 Times: Benefits and Why the Number Matters
Almost every instruction on Om Namah Shivaya ends with the same number: chant it 108 times. Rarely does anyone explain why 108, what those repetitions actually do, or how long it takes.
This article answers all three — the traditional reasoning behind the number, the benefits devotees seek from a daily round, and what you can realistically expect in the first forty days.
Why 108?
There is no single official answer. There are several, and they have accumulated over centuries. The most commonly cited:
Astronomical. The distance from the Earth to the Sun is roughly 108 times the Sun's diameter. The distance from the Earth to the Moon is roughly 108 times the Moon's diameter. These figures are approximate, but they were known to Indian astronomers early, and the number came to stand for the relationship between the individual and the cosmos.
Astrological. There are 12 zodiac signs and 9 planets in Vedic astrology. 12 × 9 = 108. Alternatively, 27 nakshatras across 4 padas each — again 108. Chanting 108 times is understood as covering every influence acting on a life.
Linguistic. The Sanskrit alphabet has 54 letters. Each is counted twice — once as Shiva (masculine) and once as Shakti (feminine). 54 × 2 = 108.
Scriptural. There are 108 principal Upanishads, and 108 sacred sites in several traditions.
Physiological. Yogic anatomy describes 108 marma points, and 108 nadis converging at the heart centre.
Which explanation is "correct" matters less than what they share: 108 is the number that stands for completeness. One full mala is one complete round, not an arbitrary stopping point.
How long does 108 repetitions take?
At an unhurried, spoken pace, 10 to 12 minutes.
Some people finish in 7 minutes. If you are consistently finishing in under 5, you are rushing — the mantra has six syllables and each deserves its full length.
This is worth knowing before you start, because "I don't have time" usually dissolves once you learn the real number. Most people can find twelve minutes.
The benefits of chanting Om Namah Shivaya 108 times
It is honest to split these into what tradition promises and what you can verify yourself.
What the scriptures describe
The Shiva Purana describes the Panchakshara mantra as burning away accumulated karma, removing fear, and granting liberation. Regular japa of a fixed count is said to build tapas — accumulated spiritual force. Devotees chant a daily 108 for protection, for clarity before difficult decisions, and as an offering with no request attached.
These are matters of faith, held for roughly three thousand years.
What actually happens in those twelve minutes
Four effects are simply mechanical, and you can observe them in yourself within a week or two:
1. Your breathing reorganises itself. Chanting six syllables aloud stretches each exhale well beyond its resting length. Across 108 repetitions you spend most of twelve minutes with a longer out-breath than in-breath. This is one of the most reliable ways to move the body out of its alert state — and it happens whether or not you are trying.
2. The restless mind gets an anchor. An anxious mind is not empty; it is overloaded. Japa never asks you to stop thinking. It gives the thinking mind one repeating object to hold. This is far easier than "clear your mind", which is why counted japa suits beginners better than open meditation.
3. The count itself trains attention. Losing your place tells you immediately that attention drifted. Over weeks, the gap between drifting and noticing shortens. That shortening — not any dramatic experience — is the real progress marker.
4. A fixed slot builds a conditioned calm. Chant at the same time and place daily and the mind begins settling before you finish the first few beads, simply from the cue.
What cannot honestly be claimed
Chanting is not a treatment for any medical condition. If you are dealing with clinical anxiety, depression, insomnia, or physical illness, chant alongside proper medical care — never in place of it. Any page promising that 108 repetitions will cure disease is selling something.
How to do your 108 properly
Sit facing east or north on a mat, spine upright, shoulders loose.
Hold a rudraksha mala in your right hand, over the middle finger, moving beads with the thumb. The index finger stays off the mala. Begin at the bead beside the sumeru — the larger head bead.
Chant one repetition per bead, aloud at first. Let the volume drop naturally over the weeks; do not force silent japa on day one.
At the sumeru, stop. That is 108. Do not cross the head bead — if you are continuing, turn the mala around and go back the other way.
Sit still for a minute afterwards. The quiet immediately after the last repetition is part of the practice.
If tracking beads keeps pulling your attention away from the mantra, a free Om Namah Shivaya 108 counter will keep the count, the mala total, and your daily streak, so the only thing you have to do is chant.
What to expect: a realistic forty days
Tradition prescribes a mandala — forty unbroken days. Here is what people actually report, without exaggeration:
- Days 1–5. Twelve minutes feels long. The mind wanders constantly. This is normal and is not a sign you are doing it wrong.
- Days 6–15. The rhythm establishes itself. You stop watching the clock. Wandering still happens, but you notice it sooner.
- Days 16–30. The practice starts pulling you rather than you pushing it. Missing a day feels like something is off in the day.
- Days 31–40. The settled state begins outlasting the session — carrying into the hour after, and sometimes into how you handle a difficult moment later that day.
If you miss a day, do not restart the count from zero and do not abandon the sankalp. Simply resume tomorrow.
Should you do more than 108?
Eventually, perhaps. But increase slowly:
- 108 (one mala) — the standard daily practice
- 324 (three malas) — a common step up for committed practitioners
- 1,008 or more — reserved for special anushthans, Maha Shivratri, or Pradosh
The error almost everyone makes is jumping to a large number in the first week, missing three days, and quitting. One mala daily for a year beats ten malas daily for a fortnight.
Best days for a 108 round
Any day is a good day. These are considered especially favourable:
- Mondays — the weekday sacred to Shiva
- Pradosh — the thirteenth day of each lunar fortnight, at dusk
- Maha Shivratri — devotees chant through all four watches of the night
- Shravan month — the entire month dedicated to Shiva
Frequently asked questions
What are the benefits of chanting Om Namah Shivaya 108 times? Traditionally, the Panchakshara mantra is said to remove fear, purify past karma, and steady the mind. Observably, twelve minutes of chanting lengthens the exhale, shifts the body towards its rest state, and gives restless attention a single object to hold.
How long does it take to chant Om Namah Shivaya 108 times? About 10 to 12 minutes at an unhurried spoken pace. Finishing in under 5 minutes usually means you are rushing the syllables.
Why is Om Namah Shivaya chanted exactly 108 times? 108 is the traditional number of completeness in Indian thought — 12 zodiac signs × 9 planets, 27 nakshatras × 4 padas, 54 Sanskrit letters × 2, and the approximate ratio of the Earth–Sun distance to the Sun's diameter. A mala carries 108 beads for this reason.
Can I chant Om Namah Shivaya 108 times without a mala? Yes. The mala only keeps count. Count on your fingers or use a japa counter so your attention stays on the mantra.
Is it better to chant 108 times aloud or silently? Scripture ranks mental japa (manasik) highest, but beginners sustain spoken japa (vachik) far more easily. Start aloud and let it grow quieter naturally.
What if I miss a day during my 40-day mandala? Resume the next day. Do not reset the count to zero and do not abandon the practice — an unbroken chain is the ideal, not a rule whose breach voids the effort.
Can I chant 108 times at night? Yes. Pradosh Kaal, just before sunset, is specifically sacred to Shiva, and on Maha Shivratri devotees chant right through the night.
Begin today
Sit down, take a mala or open a counter, and chant Om Namah Shivaya 108 times. Twelve minutes. Then do it again tomorrow.
Track it with the free online Om Namah Shivaya japa counter — it counts your repetitions and malas and keeps your daily streak, so nothing pulls you out of the mantra.