The Enigmatic Eighteen
The number eighteen, called ashtaadasha in Sanskrit, is often associated with spiritual awakening. It holds a special place in the scriptures in general, and the Mahabhaaratha, in particular.
The total number of Puraanas are 18 in number. The Ishavasya Upanishad and the Yajur Veda’s Purusha Suktha have 18 mantras. The Hamsa Gayathri mantra has 18 syllables. Srimad Bhaagvatha has 18,000 shlokas.
The Mahabhaaratha has 18 parvas or chapters. The total number of armed allies that took part in the Kurukshetra war, which itself went on for 18 days, were 18 akshouhinis*. The Bhagavad Geetha, the all-important discourse that took place during the war has 18 chapters.
*An army unit comprising 21870 chariots, 21870 elephants, 65610 horses, 109350 foot soldiers. (21870 + 21870+ 65610+109350 = 218700. Interestingly, 2+1+8+7+0+0= 18 )
In ancient times, a system of letters being assigned numerical values was in existence (including among the Jews, called Gematria). Typically the numbers were represented in an inverse order and were totalled.
Another name for Mahabhaaratha is Jaya with ja being represented by 8 and ya, represented by 1. So Jaya is represented as 1-8.
The 18 values of the Bhaaratha
The Mahabhaaratha offers 18 core values or qualities that are represented by the five Pandavas, Droupadi and Krishna.
Yudhishtira, the eldest Pandava, represents righteousness. Bheemasena represents 10 qualities. Devotion, scholarliness, detachment, discretion, retention (memory), confidence, conviction, perseverance, equanimity, competence. Arjuna represents three qualities, the ability to listen with concentration, contemplate and ruminate. It is for this very reason that Arjuna was the one chosen to listen to the Bhagavad Geetha expounded by Krishna. Nakula and Sahadeva embody the qualities of sound character and humility. Thus, the five Pandavas personify 16 values.
Droupadi, who is Bharathi devi (the consort of Vayu devaru) is the abhimaani devathe of knowledge; and hence represents spiritual knowledge.
The eighteenth quality is Godliness and is represented by Krishna himself.
The 15 fences
Since the Paramaatma is considered to be represented by 18, there is an additional explanation for how to reach him. Fifteen fences bind the 16th, which is the jeeva, to this world.
The 15 fences are erected around the (16th)jeeva by the 17th which is Prakrithi (Lakshmi or Shree Tatva). The 18th is the Parama Pusrusha or Naarayana who alone can liberate the (16th) jeeva from the prison of the 15 fences.
The 15 obstructions or fences are the five elements, the sense organs, the mind, food, energy, penance, prayer, action, the world, name (fame) and intent.
The 18 steps to liberation
There are 16 abhimaani devathes of various aspects of our body and mind, who have to be appeased in order to reach the eighteenth step, which is God-realisation or Bimba-saakshatkara. Here again, the 17 th step is represented by Mahalakshmi or the Shree Tattva and the 18 th is the Supreme Being or Naarayana.
The jeeva has to seek the truth about its existence/ identity and finally realise God, the ultimate and the eighteenth step.