SS 1.22: The Power of Mantra

Śiva Sūtra 1.22: Mantravīrya in the Great Lake

Through union with the great inner lake of awareness, mantra is experienced as living power rather than merely spoken sound.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Śiva Sūtra 1.22

महाह्रदानुसंधानान्मन्त्रवीर्यानुभवः ||1.22||

mahā-hradānusaṃdhānān mantra-vīryānubhavaḥ ||1.22|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

mahā karmadhāraya-compound	mahat adjective	great
hrada tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	hrada substantive masculine	of the lake, deep water
anusaṃdhānāt ablative singular	anusaṃdhāna substantive neuter	through Anusaṃdhāna
mantra tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	mantra substantive masculine	of mantra
vīrya tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	vīrya substantive neuter	of the power, potency
anubhavaḥ nominative singular	anubhava substantive masculine	experience

From union with the great lake [of awareness] (mahā-hrada-anusaṃdhānāt | abl sg) [comes] the experience of the power of mantra (mantra-vīrya-anubhavaḥ | nom sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Whoever enters deeply into the lake of awareness experiences mantra as living power.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Kṣemarāja explains in the Vimarśinī: The great lake is the deep, clear awareness from which all sounds and meanings arise.

Kṣemarāja's Śivasūtravimarśinī

The Vārttika explains: Mahāhrada is the highest Śakti as the deep, world-embracing lake of awareness.

Bhāskara's Śivasūtravārttika

Śiva Sūtra 1.22: Mantravīrya in the Great Lake

Śiva Sūtra 1.22: Mantravīrya in the Great Lake

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