[wrenjmerg]

I quote from The Raseśvara-darśana or Mercurial System --from the The Sarva-Darsana-Samgraha by Madavacharya.

Other Máheśvaras there are who, while they hold the identity of self with God, insist upon the tenet that the liberation in this life taught in all the systems depends upon the stability of the bodily frame, and therefore celebrate the virtues of mercury or quicksilver as a means of strengthening the system.

Mercury is called párada, because it is a means of conveyance beyond the series of transmigratory states. Thus it has been said—

"It gives the farther shore of metempsychosis: it is called párada."

And again in the Rasárṇava—

"It is styled párada because it is employed for the highest end by the best votaries.

"Since this in sleep identical with me, goddess, arises from my members, and is the exudation of my body, it is called rasa."

"Liberation is declared in the six systems to follow the death of the body.

"Such liberation is not cognised in perception like an emblic myrobalan fruit in the hand.

"Therefore a man should preserve that body by means of mercury and of medicaments."

Govinda-bhagavat also says—

"Holding that the enjoyments of wealth and of the body are not permanent, one should strive

"After emancipation; but emancipation results from knowledge, knowledge from study, and study is only possible in a healthy body."

The body, some one may say, is seen to be perishable, how can its permanency be effected? Think not so, it is replied, for though the body, as a complexus of six sheaths or wrappers of the soul, is dissoluble, yet the body, as created by Hara and Gaurí under the names of mercury and mica, may be perdurable. Thus it is said in the Rasahṛidaya—

"They who, without quitting the body, have attained to a new body, the creation of Hara and Gaurí,

"They are to be lauded, perfected by mercury, at whose service is the aggregate of magic texts."

The ascetic, therefore, who aspires to liberation in this life should first make to himself a glorified body. And inasmuch as mercury is produced by the creative conjunction of Hara and Gaurí, and mica is produced from Gaurí, mercury and mica are severally identified with Hara and Gaurí in the verse—

"Mica is thy seed, and mercury is my seed;

"The combination of the two, O goddess, is destructive of death and poverty."

Thus it is said in the Rasasiddhánta—

"The liberation of the personal soul is declared in the mercurial system, O subtile thinker.

"In the tenets of other schools which repose on a diversity of argument,

"Know that this knowledge and knowable is allowed in all sacred texts;

"One not living cannot know the knowable, and therefore there is and must be life." This again shows the importance placed by the Siddhars on the Human body and reasons for their search for Kayakalpa and other methods of prolonging life.

If they were spiritual why were they obsessed with transforming other elements to Gold?

The system of medicine Siddha Vaidya used metals like Gold,lead etc. Gold was considered the most noble of elements. It was used in preparations of medicines to prolong life. Siddhars used transmutation because that was the only way they could obtain these metals.

We transferred our obsession with Gold to the Siddhars who attached no material value to Gold.

I have seen an old text where the procedure for attaining Ashtama Siddhi starts with making a hut out of gold bricks.

Some of the Siddhars worshiped Deities like Swarna Akarshana Bhairava and Swarna Akarshana Ganapathi. Swarna Akarshna Bhairava and his worship is from Rudra Yamala. Yamalas are ancient Tantrik texts in Sanskrit. Many of the prayers we recite and the procedure for worship today are from the Yamalas.