A mantra, “instrument of thought”, is a sacred formula. Vedic mantras are the verses of the ritual; in later Hindu, Buddhist and Jain practice mantras are repeated aloud or silently to focus the mind, invoke a deity or transform consciousness. In tantric traditions the mantra is regarded as the deity in the form of sound.
Mantra
A sacred word, syllable or verse, repeated in worship and meditation for its power and meaning.