Mala counter · 108 beads
Jaap counter
Tap the big button once for each mantra: one bead of a 108-bead mala, a round every 108 taps and an optional vibration at 108. Pick a mantra or count your own naam jaap; a graha's beej mantra shows the malas a day that finish its count in 40 days. Your count stays on this device.
Choose what you chant
Now counting
Chant your own mantra or the name you hold dear; the counter keeps the beads.
Meaning, source and timing of this mantra- Malas today
- 0
- Today's target
- 0 of 1
- Total japa
- 0
Japa is the repetition of a mantra or a divine name, counted on a mala of 108 beads with one larger bead, the meru, that is not counted. One pass round the mala is one mala: 108 repetitions.
- Choose a mantra above, or keep My own mantra for any naam jaap.
- Set a daily target in malas; a graha's beej mantra fills in its own daily load.
- Tap the big button once for each repetition. With a thumb, the phone works like a mala.
- At 108 a mala is complete and, if you chose it, the phone vibrates; the count goes on into the next.
- Undo takes back one bead after a stray tap; Reset, tapped twice, clears that mantra's count.
Every mantra is from our mantra library, where its Devanagari, transliteration, source and meaning are printed. The nine graha mantras carry their traditional total and the malas a day that finish it in a 40-day mandala.
| Mantra | Traditional total | A day, for 40 days |
|---|---|---|
| Surya beej mantra | 7,000 | 2 malas (216) |
| Chandra beej mantra | 11,000 | 3 malas (324) |
| Mangal beej mantra | 10,000 | 3 malas (324) |
| Budh beej mantra | 9,000 | 3 malas (324) |
| Guru beej mantra | 19,000 | 5 malas (540) |
| Shukra beej mantra | 16,000 | 4 malas (432) |
| Shani beej mantra | 23,000 | 6 malas (648) |
| Rahu beej mantra | 18,000 | 5 malas (540) |
| Ketu beej mantra | 17,000 | 4 malas (432) |
Deity mantras
Tradition gives several reasons for 108, and two of the commonest are arithmetic: the 27 nakshatras with four padas each, and the 12 rashis with nine grahas, both come to 108. The larger meru bead is not counted; at the meru the mala is turned round rather than crossed, and the next pass begins.
The counter's ring is drawn the same way: the meru at the top, then 108 beads clockwise.
The count is kept in this browser's storage (localStorage), separately for each mantra, and never goes to a server. On a new day the malas today start from zero; the total keeps adding.
Once the page is open, counting works without the internet. Opening the page again needs a connection.
Jaap counter — questions
How do I use the online jaap counter?
Choose a mantra, or keep My own mantra for any naam jaap, then tap the big button once for each repetition. Every 108 taps completes a mala and adds a round; Undo takes back one bead if you tap twice by mistake.
How many times should I chant a mantra?
One mala, 108 repetitions, is the usual sitting. A graha's beej mantra has a traditional total, such as 23,000 for Shani, completed within 40 days, so the counter sets your daily target to the malas a day that reach it.
Is my jaap count saved?
Yes, in this browser on this device, for each mantra separately. It is never sent to us or anyone else. Clearing the browser's data or using a private window forgets it.
Does the jaap counter work offline?
Once the page has loaded, counting needs no internet at all. Opening or reloading the page needs a connection, because the site does not yet keep an offline copy of it.
Why does a japa mala have 108 beads?
Tradition gives several reasons, and two of the commonest are arithmetic: the 27 nakshatras with four padas each, and the 12 rashis with nine grahas, both come to 108. The larger meru bead is not counted; at the meru the mala is turned round, not crossed.
Can I count naam jaap such as Radhe Radhe or Ram?
Yes. Choose My own mantra and count any name or mantra you chant; the counter keeps the beads and the rounds the same way.