020 Are mantras (chants) musical? Should mantras be secretive? Do they lose their power if revealed?

The above image contains a mantra from an ancient Hindu Scripture by name 'yOga vASishTha' (meaning of the book: Path of Unification with Supreme Soul, as taught by Sage VasishTha). Book 3. Chapter (called Sarga-s): 69. Verses 14 to 17.
It contains a prayer mantra for an Epidemic/pandemic named vishUci. As soon as I get time, I shall type the Roman Script of the mantra, and its English gist.
Question: Are Mantras musical? Ans: Mantras if properly sung, mantras can be musical.
--the Sama Veda deals with singing.
--Also called Udgiita.

How music enters a mantra?

Mantras use stress on syllables.

--Udatta (climb up higher in the octave).
--Anudaatta (climb down)
-- Both should take place at regular intervals.
-- Like the Iambic Pentameter has the du dum sequence of 5 x 2 syllables.
-- Sometimes, there can be antyaprasa (rhyme).

How to sing mantras melodiously?

-- To be learnt from a trained teacher.
-- Can be imitated from casettes/audio CDs.

Do mantras have magical powers?


Not. But priests claim. Otherwise how can they eke out their livelihood? How can the temples accumulate gold?

Where can the mantras for getting a well learned child (sex according to choice) of desired color (white/wheat/black) be found?


In Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (pronounced BruhadAraNyakOpanishad).

Where can the mantras for annihilation of enemies be found?


Atharva Veda.

Where can the mantras for curing diseases and bites of poisonous animals be found?
Atharva Veda and Bruhadaaran`yaka Upanishad.

Do they work?
Ans: Are we not in the age of Science?

Question: Should mantras be secretive?

It appears that Preachers and Scholars historically wanted them to be secretive. But, that 'secretiveness' seems to reflect some business sense, such as which Coca Cola does not want to reveal the formula of its concentrate used in Coca Cola.

Question: Do mantras lose their power, if revealed?

Ans: First of all, there are no proofs for the powers of mantras. Then, where is the question of their losing their powers?
To continue editing/modifying.