Notes on Tantric Alchemy
and the Purification of Mercury

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Parada traditionally has many different names, most of which are obscure synonyms in the Sandhya Bhasya (Skt.), or Twilight Language. The Twilight Language is an intentional language, intentionally designed to thwart the misuse of certain formulae. The use of these formulae were only intended for those who had experiential access to twilight states of consciousness, and were familiar with the unique symbolism of such dimensions. In the Natha lineage where the Alchemical teachings are preserved, these states where obtained through a thorough training in yoga or union, and its main method, samadhi, or mystical union.

Some of the common words used to symbolize parada are: rasa (essence), rasendra (because it is the most important of metals), suta (because of its ability to transmute gold), capala (on account of its volatility), rasa raja (ruler of metals)--and many others. Most of these words are synomynous with Shiva, indeed one of the most common synonyms refers to parada as the "semen of Shiva". This is in and of itself, very revealing. Shiva, in the Tantric literature, symbolizes infinite time (Skt.: Mahakala). This explains the esoteric symbolism embedded in Shiva's traditional iconography: a yogin crowned by the eclipsing moon: the sun and the moon conjoined. Karmic prana is withdrawn from the solar and lunar channels to become jnanic (transcendental) lifeforce. There, Shiva and Shakti lie, beyond time, in the central channel (sushumna). In order for creation to come into being Shiva enters into "play" with his opposite, Shakti. Thus the concept of time, and limited experience becomes possible. In the process of making parada consumable, parada is mixed with this opposite; the only substance which can control Shiva's incredible potential, purified sulfur: the `menses' or blood of Parvati (Shakti).

Technically speaking, Shakti is Ahamkara (Skt.) or literally `the I-maker', the power behind `I-ness', the kundalini shakti herself. A human only exists based on the fact that Ahamkara deceives herself into believing that she is mated to the limited physical body and its resident personality. When the kundalini shakti is completely `uncoiled', she recognizes that she is Shiva's `power'. Unfortunately, for the uninitiated or inexperienced person, once this shakti is `awake to itself,' it forgets the limited body-mind, and remembers Shiva. She sacrifices her limited individuality to him and obtains instant enlightenment. The problem for the uninitiated is quite simple; those who have not trained in meditation and the total transcendence of limitations, both of time and of body-mind, will at worse lose the ability to identify with the body, i.e. physical death. At best, the huge influx of kundalini will overwhelm the limited energy/immune functions of the body like millions of volts of electricity running through low voltage wire. There is a misguided conception among new age-magical circles that the "fastest" way to enlightenment is to simply awaken the kundalini shakti. What they won't tell you is what to do with the incredible amounts of energy released. Most of the people I have talked to have no idea what to do with it! Remember always, that Shiva is also the Lord of death.

Ahamkara, as the energy behind our essential egos, is the basis of all addiction. It is Ahamkara that addicts us even to the food we need to sustain life. The only real way to relieve this problem is to transmute Ahamkara's binding limitation by wedding her to her opposite: Shiva. The limitations of the `I-maker' are then transformed by expansion into a balanced cosmic personality. Addiction to the God/Goddess, to a higher power, is the only permanent cure. It is interesting that even the twelve step groups seem to understand this important idea.

Mercury, as the semen of Lord Shiva, is the physical embodiment of the fire of transformation (tejas). It can provide incredible amounts of tejas to an organism, and can make them capable of digesting almost anything. This means digestion of physical substances as well as `digestion' of the sense objects of the five senses, the digestion of experience itself. Parada can also provide unlimited amounts of prana. Thus with prana and tejas, fire and water, parada can provide unlimited ojas, the Quintessence. Because it controls these three, it can also control the three doshas, or bodily humors. Yet, by itself, mercury forms an insoluble salt which lodges in the brain and causes insanity or death. Ingesting mercury by itself is like raising kundalini through an imbalanced path. What mercury needs is something to balance it, to control its energy. That something is the element sulfur.

Sulfur is the elemental embodiment of blood, that which the body uses to create everything else (from an Ayurvedic perspective), and the only thing capable of controlling mercury. Sulfur is the womb which creates the child Kajjali, the black sulfide of mercury.

Kajjali is the alchemical child from which most of the other alchemical substances are created. The most famous of the mercury-based compounds is the rasayana (rejeuvanative) Makaradwaja. Makaradwaja consists (primarily) of mercury, sulfur, and gold. This compound is capable of providing endurance, energy, increased immune function and longevity to its taker. Makaradwaja seems to work by allowing prana, tejas and ojas to flow into parts of the subtle physiology where it would not normally be able to flow, clearing many of the blockages which may be present. If taken prior to meditation or even sleep, it can even be seen to permeate the nadis (subtle energy-channels). Mercury allows the body to digest the otherwise only partly digestible element of gold. This allows the concentrated "solidified sunlight," gold, to gild the bodies immune system and aura. On a subtle level it actually has the appearance of a volatile mercury, streaming through the bodies channels. It is excellent for diseases such as A.I.D.S. and different forms of cancer. The average treatment routine, repeated on a yearly basis, should last for about a month, depending on the individual, usually in the coldest months of the year.

Members of the Bhairavi cult, worshippers of a particularly wrathful form of Lord Shiva, have been known to live hundreds of years through the alchemical use of such mercury-based compounds. Indeed some are said to have obtained immortality (by overcoming their innate addiction to time). Statues of the Bhairavi cult display some of the characteristics of this incredible life extension; beings so mutated from alchemical sadhana as to resemble other dimensional Bhairavis more than humans. This is their actual appearance, yet they may appear as any age to the observer, and do not usually display their true appearance to the uninitiated.

In Rasa Shastra, the Art of Tantric alchemy, Mercury is considered as a living substance--a living being. In the process of preparation it goes through all of the same processes as the sadhaka who seeks liberation, and the child or soul who seeks incarnation. First the mercury is `awakened', made `hungry', it is `fed', made to `swoon', and lastly `killed'. `Killing' refers to incineration in the symbolism of the Twilight Language. More than mere symbolism, the preparation of Mercury is the preparation for enlightenment itself, the true Gold of the Wise.

Nothing summarizes the goal of Tantric alchemy better than the following quote from the Rasahridaya Tantra (9th cent. A.D.) by the great sage Govinda Bhagavatpada, the Guru of Shankaracharya:

"It is only in the virtuous ones, the flame full of consciousness appears between the two eye brows which has the appearance of fire, lightening, or a sun. It is difficult to describe the nature of this excellent flame. It endows the person with eternal bliss and makes him free of all miseries. It is observable. It is peaceful and its attributes can be appreciated by the individual. The individual should concentrate his mind on this flame and the entire universe will appear before them like eternally vibrating conscious-ness...Those individuals who have attained this state of unity which is like amrita are the truly blessed ones." (Rasahridaya Tantra I:21-26)

(c) 1994, S.A. Feite

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