As a deity name
Name 581 of the Ganesha Sahasranāma — Ganesha Purana (Upasana Khanda), as taught by Sage Vyasa / Lord Ganesha
Name 571 of the Hanuman Sahasranāma — Rasvin Samhita / Brahmanda Purana, as taught by Lord Ram / Sages
Name 360 of the Saraswati Sahasranāma — Skanda Purana, as taught by Lord Brahma / Sages
Name 79 of the Shiva Sahasranāma — Mahabharata (Anushasana Parva), as taught by Sage Tandi to Sage Upamanyu
As a Hindi name
मन्त्र · mantra · s.m.
That part of each Veda which comprizes the hymns (as distinguished from the Brāhmaṇas, or theological portions) — Platts (1884), digital edition courtesy DSAL, University of Chicago, p. 1071
मंत्र · masculine
mantra, chant
मन्त्र · masculine
a Hindi word, a tatsama: the Sanskrit word borrowed unchanged into Hindi मन्त्र — per Wiktionary’s etymology record
“Borrowed from Sanskrit मन्त्र (mantra).” — per Wiktionary’s etymology record
mantra m. (rarely n.; ifc. f(ā). ), ‘instrument of thought’, speech, sacred text or speech, a prayer or song of praise, RV.; AV.; TS.
a Vedic hymn or sacrificial formula, that portion of the Veda which contains the texts called ṛc or yajus or sāman (q.v.) as opp. to the Brāhmaṇa and Upaniṣad portion (see IW. 5 &c.), Br.; GṛŚrS. &c.
a Hindi word; it is not Sanskrit
As a Sanskrit word
Meaning
a sacred formula addressed to any individual deity (e.g. )
Scripturally attested Verified derivationMultiple readings (7)Why this matches what you typed
The spelling you confirmed, मन्त्र, is itself a dictionary headword — no grammatical transformation stands between what you typed and the meaning above.
Dictionary citations
mantra m. (rarely n.; ifc. f(ā). ), ‘instrument of thought’, speech, sacred text or speech, a prayer or song of praise, RV.; AV.; TS.
a Vedic hymn or sacrificial formula, that portion of the Veda which contains the texts called ṛc or yajus or sāman (q.v.) as opp. to the Brāhmaṇa and Upaniṣad portion (see IW. 5 &c.), Br.; GṛŚrS. &c.
a sacred formula addressed to any individual deity (e.g. om śivāya namaḥ), RTL. 61
a mystical verse or magical formula (sometimes personified), incantation, charm, spell (esp. in modern times employed by the Śāktas to acquire superhuman powers; the primary Mantras being held to be 70 millions in number and the secondary innumerable, RTL. 197-202), RV. (i, 147, 4); ĀśvŚr.; Mn.; Kathās.; Suśr.
consultation, resolution, counsel, advice, plan, design, secret, RV. &c. &c.
Alternative readings
More than one analysis survives full verification. That ambiguity is real, so we show every reading rather than pick one silently.
Caveats
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