Question: Does everybody have his own mantra?

Sri Chinmoy: Yes, everybody has his own mantra. There are many, many Sanskrit mantras. A mantra can be only one syllable, or it can be a group of syllables or a sentence. But in the Indian scriptures it is said that if you want mental illumination, you can practise the mantra. If you want purity, you can use this mantra. If you want some other quality you can also use this mantra. AUM is a mantra which is most effective for anything and for anybody.