A Mantra Is an Instrument of Thought
A mantra is a repeated word or phrase. The Sanskrit combines the roots for mind and instrument.
A mantra is a word or phrase repeated in meditation, and in general use a slogan endlessly restated. The Sanskrit construction is precise: *man* is the root for thinking, *-tra* is a suffix for an instrument, so a mantra is a tool for the mind. The English *mind* comes from the same Indo-European root as *man* here.
- A repeated sacred phrase. *Chanting a mantra.*
- A repeated slogan. *The company mantra.*
- Mantra as a modifier. *Mantra meditation.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | mantra | A personal mantra. |
| Plural | mantras | Repeated mantras. |
| Related | mind | An open mind. |
| Related | mental | Mental effort. |
| Related | meditation | Daily meditation. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Efficiency became their mantra.A repeated slogan.
- Mantra means an instrument of thought.Sanskrit.
- Om is the best-known mantra.A single syllable.
Sanskrit words in English
- Mantra — an instrument of thought
- Karma — action and consequence
- Guru — a teacher
- Nirvana — extinguishing, as of a flame
- Avatar — a descent into bodily form
From Sanskrit *mantra*, from *man*, to think, and the instrumental suffix *-tra* — cognate with English *mind*.
Are mantra and mind related?
Yes, at a great distance. Both descend from an Indo-European root meaning to think.
Does a mantra have to be meaningful?
Not necessarily. In several traditions the sound itself is the point, and the syllables may have no ordinary meaning.