See mantra in Webster's New World College Dictionary
noun
Hinduism a hymn or portion of text, esp. from the Veda, chanted or intoned as an incantation or prayer
See mantra in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(mănˈtrə, mŭnˌ-)
noun
Hinduism A sacred verbal formula repeated in prayer, meditation, or incantation, such as an invocation of a god, a magic spell, or a syllable or portion of scripture containing mystical potentialities.
A commonly repeated word or phrase: “Today's edutainment software comes shrinkwrapped in the magic mantra: ‘makes learning fun.’”(Clifford Stoll).