जपमालाjapa-mālā · garland for repetition
The japa mala and the number 108
3 min read · Updated October 16, 2026 · sources checked October 16, 2026
In short
A japa mala is a string of 108 beads plus a larger guru or meru bead, used to count the repetitions of a mantra. Mālā means garland, japa repetition. The beads are moved one by one with the thumb; one round is 108 repetitions. No single text explains 108: several traditional explanations exist, from astronomy to the canon of 108 Upanishads.
Walk through the lanes of Rishikesh or Haridwar and you will see malas everywhere: brown rudrākṣa seeds, pale tulasī wood, sandalwood, crystal. A mala is not jewellery first. It is a simple, ancient tool for one of the oldest practices of India: counting the repetitions of a sacred name.
What a mala is
माला (mālā) means a garland. A japa-mālā is a garland for japa, the repetition of a mantra. The usual Hindu mala has:
- 108 beads for counting;
- one larger bead, called meru or sumeru ("the mountain") or the guru bead, which marks the start and end of a round and is not counted;
- often a tassel below the meru.
Smaller malas of 54 or 27 beads (half and quarter of 108) are also used, especially as wrist malas.
Why 108?
There is no single textual explanation, and it is more honest to say so than to choose one. Several readings circulate in India:
| Reading | The calculation |
|---|---|
| Two sacred numbers | 12 × 9 = 108: twelve months and twelve signs of the zodiac; nine planets (navagraha) of Indian astrology |
| The lunar mansions | 27 nakṣatra of Indian astronomy, each divided into 4 quarters (pāda): 27 × 4 = 108 |
| The Upanishads | the Muktikā Upaniṣad, a late text, gives a canon of 108 Upanishads |
| Litanies of names | many deities have an aṣṭottara-śata-nāmāvalī, a litany of 108 names |
None of these is "the" reason. The number was sacred before these explanations were formulated, and each tradition reads it in its own way. Buddhist malas also commonly have 108 beads, explained differently again.
Which beads?
The material is chosen by tradition and devotion, not by any promised effect.
- Rudrākṣa (रुद्राक्ष, "eye of Rudra"): the dried seeds of a tree that grows from the Himalayan foothills to South-East Asia, associated with Śiva. The Śiva Purāṇa praises those who wear the rudrākṣa and repeat the five-syllable mantra (Vidyeśvara Saṃhitā 25, GRETIL numbering 1.25). Most Śaiva devotees use them, often with Om namaḥ śivāya.
- Tulasī (holy basil wood): associated with Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa, used in Vaiṣṇava traditions.
- Sandalwood, crystal (sphaṭika), lotus seeds: used in various traditions.
Good to know
Shops often attach claims to beads ("this stone heals…"). The texts speak of devotion and repetition, not of mineral effects. Choose a mala that feels right in the hand and suits the mantra you repeat.
How to use a mala, step by step
- Sit comfortably, spine upright, as for any meditation.
- Hold the mala in the right hand (in Indian tradition the left hand is not used for sacred acts). Drape it over the middle finger, or the ring finger depending on the tradition.
- Keep the index finger away. In most Hindu teachings it does not touch the beads.
- Start at the bead next to the meru. Say the mantra once, then move the bead towards you with the thumb. Next bead, next repetition.
- Do not count or cross the meru. When you reach it after 108 repetitions, turn the mala in the hand and go back the other way.
- End in silence for a moment after the last round.
Traditional counts are one round (108), three, eleven or more a day, at the same time each day. Regularity counts more than quantity: Patañjali says practice becomes firm when it is kept up for a long time, without interruption, and with devotion (Yoga Sutra 1.14).
Aloud, murmured or silent
The same mala works for the three ways of japa: aloud, murmured with only the lips moving, and mental. Beginners usually start aloud. The complete method, with the meaning of the words and Patañjali's sutras on Om, is on the page mantra meditation and japa.
Respecting the mala
Some traditions keep the japa mala in a cloth bag (gomukhī), do not show it, lend it or wear it, and do not let it touch the floor. Others wear their rudrākṣa all day. If a teacher gives you a mala with a mantra, their instructions come first.
Mantras often repeated on a mala: Om, the Gāyatrī, the Mahāmṛtyuñjaya, and the others explained in our guide to Sanskrit mantras.
Questions people ask
Why does a mala have 108 beads?
There is no single textual reason. Common explanations: 12 × 9; the 27 lunar mansions of Indian astronomy, each in 4 quarters (27 × 4 = 108); and the Muktikā Upaniṣad's canon of 108 Upanishads. The number was sacred before these readings.
Which hand do I use for a mala?
In Hindu practice, the right hand. The mala rests on the middle or ring finger and the thumb moves the beads; the index finger usually does not touch it.
Can I cross the guru bead?
Most traditions say no: at the end of a round, turn the mala and go back the other way, without counting or crossing the meru bead.
Can I wear my mala?
Many people do, especially rudrākṣa malas among Śiva devotees. Some lineages keep the japa mala in a cloth bag and do not wear or show it. Follow your teacher if you have one.
Sources
- Śivapurāṇa, book 1 (Vidyeśvara Saṃhitā), chapters 17 and 25 on japa and the rudrākṣa, Sanskrit text (GRETIL) checked October 16, 2026
- Patañjali, Yogasūtra, Sanskrit text (GRETIL, University of Göttingen) checked October 16, 2026
- Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.3.28, Sanskrit text (GRETIL) checked October 16, 2026