Quick answer
The unit is 108 repetitions, one mala. Few traditions set a daily number publicly; the best known is ISKCON's 16 rounds, 1,728 repetitions a day. Vows are counted in larger totals such as sava lakh, 1,25,000. If a guru gave you the mantra, the number they gave you comes first.
People ask this of every mantra: Gayatri, Mahamrityunjaya, Om Namah Shivaya, Hanuman. The honest answer starts with how japa is counted at all. Mantras are repeated hundreds or thousands of times, and the mala exists so that someone aiming for an exact number can attend to the mantra instead of the count. So the question is really: how many malas?
The numbers traditions actually set
| Count | What it is |
|---|---|
| 108 | One mala. The unit every other number is built from; see why 108 |
| 27 or 54 | A quarter or half mala, on smaller malas |
| 1,728 | ISKCON's daily vow: 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra, about an hour and a half |
| 10,800 | 100 malas; the point at which a Tibetan practitioner moves the bhum counter on |
| 1,25,000 | Sava lakh, the best-known count for a mantra vow; see sava lakh jaap |
| 1,00,00,000 | One crore, often a lifetime aim for naam jap |
Beyond these, numbers come from your lineage. Some mantras are traditionally given with a count at initiation; if yours was, that count outranks anything here.
What a number costs in time
A mala of a short name and a mala of a long verse are very different things. Set your daily number by time first, then see how many malas fit.
| Mantra | About one mala | 11 malas |
|---|---|---|
| A short naam: Ram, Radhe Radhe, Waheguru | 2 to 4 minutes | 25 to 45 minutes |
| Om Namah Shivaya | 4 to 6 minutes | 45 minutes to 1 hour |
| Hare Krishna Mahamantra | About 6 minutes | About 1 hour |
| Gayatri or Mahamrityunjaya | 15 to 25 minutes | 3 to 4 hours or more |
These are rough, from typical paces; time one mala of your own and use the sankalpa calculator.
If no one has given you a number
Begin with one mala a day, kept every day, and stay there until it is easy. A number that survives a tired, travelling, unwell day is worth more than a large one that survives a week. Japa done with attention is the point; if a larger count makes you rush, it is too large.
Frequently asked questions
Is it necessary to chant a mantra 108 times?
No, but 108 is one round of a mala, so it is the natural unit. A quarter mala of 27 with attention is better than 108 in a hurry.
How many times should I chant a mantra for siddhi?
Traditions that speak of perfecting a mantra usually tie it to a large count done as an anushthan, such as sava lakh, under a teacher's guidance. There is no single number for every mantra.
How many times should I chant the Gayatri mantra?
One mala of 108 is a common daily practice, and many chant fewer on busy days. At 15 to 25 minutes a mala, it is one of the longer mantras to count.
Can I chant more than one mantra a day?
Yes. Many people keep a short naam through the day and one mantra for a formal sitting. Count each separately; in Japo each mantra is its own practice with its own count.
Sources
Begin your next mala.
Japo is a japa counter that feels like the real thing. Pull a bead with your thumb, feel a soft tick, and pick up exactly where you stopped. Counting, history and goals are free.