Mantras are used for several purposes, for material gains and for spiritual upliftment. The most exalted aim can be spiritual upliftment, others include curing of disease, warding off evil, attaining liberation, gaining wealth, influencing others, acquiring powers, and at the lowest and meanest level, harming others.

Shanti karan - (pacification) It is meant for the destruction of diseases, general well-being and emancipation from the cycle of re-birth. These mantras are for warding off the malefic effects and influence of planets and for curing of diseases.

Vashi karan - (captivation) These mantras, when used in a specific way, are to bring people under control, and thus one gains one's desires.

Sthamban - (immobilisation) These mantras deal with all the persons to stop acting against you. It is meant for mentally or physically obstructing a person or group.

Videshan - (dissension) These mantras are for creating differences between people. They are meant for creating differences between couples or close friends and allies.

Uchchattan - (aversion) It is meant for making a person hate another person or place. These mantras deal with the distraction of the mind of enemies, opponents and other persons so that they stay away from harming you. This can also be used for persons working against their country, birthplace, residence, home and family members.

Maran - (eradication ) It is meant for causing the death of a person (or enemy). These are death-inflicting mantras through which anybody can be killed.

Warning: These are some of the traditional uses. However, it is a law of nature that each and every action has a reaction, so anything done with a wrong intent will bounce back on the user. Any evil intention or act will backfire on the user only.

Mantra sadhana:
The essential and important parts of the process are:

1. Recitation of the mantra
2. Correct rhythmic pronunciation of the mantra
3. Understanding the meaning of the mantra
4. Reciting the mantra the prescribed number of times

Rules of Mantra:
Mantra should be pronounced properly. If it is not pronounced properly, its significance is likely to be changed. This shows that pronounciation should be done properly otherwise the meaning gets changed.

Where the mantra should be broken is important, the meanigng gets changed according to the place where we break the mantra. That is why we should not pronounce the mantra if we do not know how to do it. If a mantra is not properly used, it can have an adverse effect. There is a rhythm for pronouncing the mantra and the seat is specific, the sitting posture is definite.

The smaller the mantra, the more effective it is. If it is long, it becomes difficult to utter and its result is general. If it is small, it is easy to utter and its result is very good. The result of mantra is of three types:

(a) Mantra produces vibrations
(b) Colour is seen because of mantra
(c) Different types of sounds are heard

Some universal mantras which anybody can chant are:

1. Om Namo Narayanaya
2. Om Namah Shivaya
3. Om Tat Sat
4. Gayatri Mantra of Rig Veda
5. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
6. Hare Rama Krishna
7. Mahamritunjaya Mantra