The Ocean of Mercury

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From before the Buddhist period, most spiritual and yogic activities began to be performed through Rasashastra. Along with this, the attainment of the four goals of life (chaturvarga) also began to be achieved through this science. Furthermore, mercury processed with eighteen samskaras was a provider of longevity and restored youth; when this mercury was murchita fainted/rendered into a powder form and bandhita fixed, it was a destroyer of age and disease and a provider of khechari gati the ability to move in the sky, respectively.1

Beyond this, by drawing a comparison between the Supreme Being and mercury, the subject has been presented in a very interesting way. Just as all the elements of the seekers (the individual soul, etc.) dissolve into the Supreme Being before the attainment of knowledge, in the same way, all the five elemental substances dissolve into mercury.2

Sri Govinda Bhagavatpadacharya further stated that just as yogis attain immortality by dissolving all their mental fluctuations into the form of Lord Ashutosh Sadashiva, in the same way, when gold and other metals are digested in mercury that has been treated with mica, that mercury also becomes a provider of immortality.3

Prior to this, the author of Rasahridayatantra has beautifully explained the method of the dissolution of all five elemental substances into mercury.4

Some Acharyas hold the opinion that gold is ten million times greater than mineral earths, gems are ten million times greater than gold, and ban iron produced from meteorites is ten million times greater than gems. But mercury is ten million times greater than ban. In this creation of Brahma, no other substance has been, nor will there ever be, one more virtuous than mercury.

1. "For the sake of righteousness, prosperity, enjoyment, the recovery of lost kingdoms, long life, youth, and for liberation, the seekers use it." (Rasopanishad). "What else other than mercury, when fixed, can give the ability to move in the sky, oh compassionate one?" (Rasa Ratnasamuchaya)
2. "Just as in the Supreme Soul, there is a fixed dissolution of all elements; this single King of Rasas makes the body ageless and immortal." (Rasahridayatantra)
3. "Just as yogis, dissolved in the form of Hara, attain immortality, in the same way, gold and metals, when consumed by the King of Rasas, attain the same." (Rasahridayatantra)
4. "Lead dissolves into tin, tin into copper, copper into silver, silver into gold, and gold dissolves into mercury." (Rasahridayatantra)