Rasaprakāśasudhākara

I shall describe the liquefaction and dropping of all of them in detail, as well as the qualities and faults of gems, and their purification and incineration. (8)

I shall describe the kramana penetration, ranjana coloring, liquefaction, and combination in mercury, and I shall describe the one hundred types of mercury in great detail. (9)

Four types of medicines are declared: divine medicines divyaushadhi, mercury-based medicines rasaushadhi, perfected medicines siddhaushadhi, and others. (10)

Great medicines mahaushadhi are proclaimed, as are the pits puta for various purposes, the crucibles musha for metals, and the curiosities briefly. (11)

Formulas for virility vajikarana and those that retain semen are included in this book without excessive length or brevity. (12)

Description of the Origin of Mercury

To the west of the Himalayas, there is a mountain named Girindra King of Mountains. Near it, in a very deep well, the King of Mercury himself dwells. (13)

A maiden, endowed with beauty and virtue, decorated and mounted on a fine horse Some suggest "Amarasundara" or similar context, came there and, looking at the well, fell in with great speed. (14)
1 'For observing the well' is another reading.

The excellent mercury ran out to the four directions and certainly fell onto the earth. (15)
2 'Focused' is another reading.

The area around the well, measuring twelve yojanas a measure of distance in circumference, is said to be of mercury. (16)

When the mercury from that soil is dropped in an apparatus yantra, it becomes the destroyer of diseases. It is brilliant and is itself called Mercury Parada. (17)

The mercury that exited the well went in four directions, and thus it appeared in four types, becoming Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra. (18)

It becomes white, black, yellow, and red in color in the eastern, southern, western, and northern directions respectively. (19)

White mercury belongs to the white method used for creating silver/white metals; black mercury is body-building; yellow mercury is a gold-maker; and red mercury is a destroyer of diseases. (20)
1 In the white method means in the process of making silver.

When all are unified, they always perform all works. When consumed, they are destroyers of all diseases and bestowers of all perfections. (21)

Knowing the origin of mercury in this way, one is not troubled by diseases. Properly purified, incinerated, penetrated, and moved, it is auspicious. (22)
2 'Jarita' digested is another reading.

The Eighteen Processes

Svedana steaming, mardana grinding, murchana swooning, and its arising, patana sublimation, rodhana restraint, niyamana control, and dipana kindling. (23)

Then the intake of mica, charana movement, and so on in order. Garbhadrumti internal liquefaction, bahyadrumti external liquefaction, and drumtijarana liquefaction and digestion likewise. (24)

Ranjana coloring, sarana flowing, kramana penetration, and vedhakarma alchemical transmutation. Consuming mercury constitutes these eighteen processes. (25)

I have stated the names here by way of introduction.

Faults of Mercury

Five faults of mercury are declared by the best physicians. (26)

Mala dross/impurity, poison, fire, mada intoxication, and darpa pride in order. They cause fainting, death, intoxication, eruptions, and dizziness. (27)

The Seven Husks of Mercury

I shall tell you the seven husks of mercury truthfully. I shall tell their names according to the science of the Goddess Tantric tradition. (28)

They arise from earth, mountain, water, copper, lead, and tin. There are seven husks in mercury, and because of them, it is like poison. (29)