मन्त्र
Mantra
(mantra)A sacred sound or phrase that transforms the mind when repeated
Full Meaning
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or phrase considered capable of creating spiritual transformation. Man (mind) + tra (instrument, protect) — an instrument that protects the mind. Mantras are not prayers to a deity — they are sonic tools for changing the frequency of consciousness. The Vedas were transmitted entirely as mantras for thousands of years before they were written.
Etymology
From manas (mind, thinking) + the root trai (to protect, to free). Literally "that which protects the mind."
Usage in Sanskrit Texts
The most fundamental mantra is OM (ॐ) — the primordial sound from which all other sounds arise. The Gayatri Mantra, chanted at sunrise for millennia, is considered the mother of all mantras.
ॐ — Om. The syllable that contains the entire universe. The first mantra, the source of all sound.
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