Mantra

A mantra is a mystical formula of incantations and invocations associated with the religion of Hinduism. The meaning in Sanskrit is "sacred counsel" or "formula." In Tantra practices, they are known to be magical prayers or phrases that can be used to aid the individual by invoking the gods and conjuring magickal power through words.

The most popular Vedic mantra is the Gayatri invocation of the Sun, chanted at sunrise. However, various kinds of mantras accompany every Hindu ritual, requesting or compelling a deity to give specific blessings to the individual. The Atharva-Veda contains mantras that are believed to have the power of black magic (similar to goety in Hermetic traditions) that can be used directly on a friend or enemy.

Source of information:
 * Infopedia CD-Rom, 1995