Significance of Numbers in Vedic System - 9

In a recent post (goo.gl/Fqz7Ez), I complied the significance of numbers from 1-8, based on Sri Bannanje Govindacharya's book "ankeyalli adhyAtma". Here it the next set.

Significance of 9:

• navagraha (9 influencing aspects)- soorya, chandra, kuja, budha, guru, shukra, shani, rAhu, kEtu
• navadwAra (9 windows/holes) - 2 ears, 2 eyes, 2 nostrils, 1 mouth, pAyu (anus), upastha (genital)
• navaprajApatis or navabrahmAs (9 guardians) - mareecha, atri, aMgiras, pulastya, pulaha, kratu, vasiShTa, bhRugu, dakSha
• navavidhabhakti (9 forms of devotion) - shravaNa (kathAshravaNa), keertana (guNagAna), smaraNa, pAdasEvana, archana, vaMdana, dAsya, sakhya, aatmanivEdana
• navavidabhAgawataru (9 devotees, based on navavidhabhakti) - pareekshit (shravaNa), shukamaharShi (keertana), prahlAda (smaraNa), Laxmi (pAdasEvana), pRuthu (archana), akroora (vandana), aanjanEya (dAsya), arjuna (sakhya), balichakravarty (aatmanivedana)
• navashaktis of bhagavan - vimalA, utkarShiNi, jnAnA, kriyA, yOgA, prahvee, satyA, eeshAnA, anugrahA
• navarAtri navadurgA - kunArikA, tirmoorti, kalyANi, roopiNi, kALi, chaMdikA, shAMbhavi, durgA, subhadrA (names may vary slightly according to the scripture referred to)
• navamoortis of VishNu - nArayaNa, paraMbrahma, vAsudEva, saMkarShaNa, pradyumna, aniruddha, nArasiMha, varAha, paraMjyoti
• navaratnAs - mANikya (soorya), mauktika (moon), havaLa (kuja), marataka (budha), puShyarAga (guru), vajra (shukra), nElamaNi (shani), gOmEdaka (rAhu), vaidoorya (kEtu)
• माणिक्यं तरणेः सुजात्यममलं मुक्ताफलं शीतगोः माहेयस्य च विद्रुमं मरकतं सौम्यस्य गारुत्मतम देवेज्यस्य च पुष्पराजमसुराचार्यस्य वज्रं शनेः नीलं निर्मलमन्ययोश्च गदिते गोमेदवैदूर्यके; (brihat jAtaka)
• navarasAs - shRungAra, veera, karuNa, hAsya, raudra, bhayAnaka, bibhatsa, adbhuta, shAnta
• navasEnApaddati (9 ways of military arrangements) - patti, sEnAmukha, gulma, gaNa, vAhini, pRutanA, chamoo, aneekini, akshOhiNi 
• patti                1 elephant-chariot (E)  3 horses (H)     5 foot soldiers (F)
• sEnAmuka      3 E                              9 H                  15 F
• gulma              9 E                              27 H                45 F
• gaNa              27 E                            81 H                135 F
• vAhini             81 E                           243 H               405 F
• pRutana          243 E                         729 H               1,215 F
• chamu            729 E                          2,187 H            3,645 F
• aneekini         2,187 E                     6,561 H              10,935 F
• akShOhiNi     21,870 E                  65,610 H            109,350 F
• In mahAbhArata there were 18 akshOhiNis, which is 393,660 Elephants and Chariots, 1,180,980 Horses, and 1,968,300 Foot Soldiers
• If you observe, except for the base unit - patti - the rest are all 3 or multiples of 3. From gulma and after, each number is numerically equal to 9. 

9 has a significant place in Vedic spirituality for a number of reasons.

1) It is "poorNa", the complete, the ultimate in numbers. It is the highest of the units. 

2) 9 always yields itself when multiplied - 9*2=18 => 1+8 => 9; 9*3=27 => 2+7 =9

3) MahAbhArata has 18 parvAs, Bhagawad Gita (the core of mahAbhArata) has 18 Chapters, the mahAbhArata war involved 18 akshohinis, and the war was fought for 18 days

18 is a significant and important numerical figure in Indian history for a number of reasons. 

• 18 parvAs of mahAbhArata
• aadiparva, sabhAparva, vanaparva, virATaparva, udyOgaparva, bheeshmaparva, drONaparva, karNaparva, shalyarava, sauptikaparva, streeparva, shaantiparva, anushAsanaparva, ashvamEdhika parva, aashramavAsaparva, mausalaparva, mahAprasthAnaparva, and svargArOhaNaparva
• 18 mahApurANAs (and the number of shlokAs)
• brahma purANa (10,000)
• padma purANa (55,000)
• vaiShNava purANa (23,000)
• shaiva purANa (24,000)
• bhAgawata purANa (18,000)
• nAradeeya purANa (25,000)
• maarkaMDEya purANa (9,000)
• aagnEya purANa (15,400)
• bhaviShya purANa (14,500) 
• brahmavaivarta purANa (18,000)
• liMga purANa (11,000)
• varAha purANa (24,000)
• skanda purANa (81,100)
• vAmana purANa (10,000)
• koorma purANa (17,000)
• matsya purANa (14,000)
• gAruDa purANa (19,000)
• brahmAMDa purANa (12,000)
• Totally 4000,000 verses in the purANas
• 18 upapurANAs 
• 18 types of vidyAs - 4 vEdas, 4 upavEdAs, 6 aMgAs, mimAmsa, nyAya, dharmashAstra, and purANAs 
• 18 tatvAs - 16 kshara bandhakAs - (5 panchabhootAs, 5 indriyAs, manas, karma, lOka, mantra, nAma), 16th is jeeva , 17th is prakRuti (akshara tatva), and 18th is bhagawanta (purushottama)