Chandrashekhar Ashtakam
|| श्री चन्द्रशेखराष्टकम् ||
Verse 1
चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर पाहि माम् । चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर रक्ष माम् ॥१॥
Oh Chandrashekara (The Lord whose crown is the moon), please protect me. Oh Chandrashekara (The Lord whose crown is the moon), please save me.
Verse 2
रत्नसानुशरासनं रजताद्रिशृङ्गनिकेतनं सिञ्जिनीकृत पन्नगेश्वरमच्युताननसायकम् । क्षिप्रदग्धपुरत्रयं त्रिदिवालयैरभिवन्दितं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥२॥
The God, who made the Mountain filled with precious stones (Mount Meru) as his bow, who resides on the Mountain of Silver Who made head of the serpents (Vasuki) as his bowstring, who used Lord Vishnu as an arrow The destroyer of three cities (Tripuras), the one bowed by all in the three worlds I seek the refuge of that God Chandrasekhara (God Shiva, who has the moon on his head), so what can Yama do to me?
Verse 3
पञ्चपादप पुष्पगन्ध पदाम्बुजद्वयशोभितं भाललोचन जातपावक दग्धमन्मथ विग्रहम् । भस्मदिग्धकलेवरं भवनाशनं भवमव्ययं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥३॥
Whose feet are shining with the flowers and scents of the five divine trees The one who burnt Manmada, Lord of Love, by the fire of his eye present on his forehead Whose body is smeared with holy Ash or Bhasma, the destroyer of sorrows, who lives eternally I seek the refuge of that God Chandrasekhara (God Shiva, who has the moon on his head), so what can Yama do to me?
Verse 4
मत्तवारण मुख्यचर्मकृतोत्तरीय मनोहरं पङ्कजासन पद्मलोचन पूजिताङ्घ्रि सरोरुहम् । देवसिन्धुतरङ्गसीकर सिक्तशुभ्रजटाधरं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥४॥
The one who wears the skin of elephants of great vigor as a cloth on his arms (uttareeyam), that looks enchanting Whose lotus like feet are worshipped by Lord Brahma, who is usually seated on the lotus (Pankajasana), and Lord Vishnu, who is lotuseyed (Padma lochana) Whose matted locks of hair are cleaned by the drops coming from the waves of Akasha Ganga I seek the refuge of that God Chandrasekhara (God Shiva, who has the moon on his head), so what can Yama do to me?
Verse 5
यक्षराजसखं भगाक्षहरं भुजङ्गविभूषणं शैलराजसुतापरिष्कृत चारुवामकलेवरम् । क्ष्वेडनीलगलं परश्वधधारिणं मृगधारिणं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥५॥
The one close to Kubera, the one who plucked the eyes of Bhaga, who wears the serpents as his ornaments Who has the left part of his body decorated with the body of the daughter of Mountains, Devi Parvathi One with a blue throat, whose hand is adorned with an axe as a weapon, who holds a deer in his hands I seek the refuge of that God Chandrasekhara (God Shiva, who has the moon on his head), so what can Yama do to me?
Verse 6
कुण्डलीकृत कुण्डलेश्वर कुण्डलं वृषवाहनं नारदादि मुनीश्वरस्तुत वैभवं भुवनेश्वरम् । अन्धकान्धकामाश्रितामरपादपं शमनान्तकं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥६॥
The one who has the coiled serpents as his earrings and having a bull as his vehicle Whose greatness is praised by the Narada and other sages, the Lord of all the worlds Who destroyed the pride of Andhaka, the wish fulling tree for the refugee I seek the refuge of that God Chandrasekhara (God Shiva, who has the moon on his head), so what can Yama do to me?
Verse 7
भेषजं भवरोगिणामखिलापदामपहारिणं दक्षयज्ञविनाशनं त्रिगुणात्मकं त्रिविलोचनम् । भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदं सकलाघसङ्घनिबर्हणं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥७॥
Who acts as the medicine to the one suffering from sorrowful life, the remover of all the sufferings and obstructions The destroyer of Daksha yagna, A personified form of the three Gunas and the one with three eyes The bestower of Devotion, Salvation, and other wishes, the destroyer of all the sins I seek the refuge of that God Chandrasekhara (God Shiva, who has the moon on his head), so what can Yama do to me?
Verse 8
भक्तवत्सलमर्चितं निधिमक्षयं हरिदम्बरं सर्वभूतपतिं परात्परमप्रमेयमनुत्तमम् । सोमवारिद भूहुताशन सोमपानिलखाकृतिं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥८॥
The one who takes care of his devotees, the one worshipped by all, who is like a treasure, the one who wears green clothes Who is the head of all the creatures, who is beyond all, who cannot be compared with anyone, who doesn’t have anyone greater than him The one who is present as a form in the ones who drink Soma in a ritualistic way I seek the refuge of that God Chandrasekhara (God Shiva, who has the moon on his head), so what can Yama do to me?
Verse 9
विश्वसृष्टि विधायिनं पुनरेव पालनतत्परं संहरन्तमपि प्रपञ्चमशेष लोकनिवासिनम् । क्रीडयन्त महर्निशं गणनाथयूथ समन्वितं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥९॥
The one who does the creation of the universe, who is keenly involved in upkeeping it as well as in perseverance Who destroys the universe at the appropriate time, who made the world a living place for innumerable counts of people Who is playful all the days and nights, the head of the Ganas, and who acts as one among them I seek the refuge of that God Chandrasekhara (God Shiva, who has the moon on his head), so what can Yama do to me?
Verse 10
मृत्युभीतमृकण्डसूनु कृतस्तवं शिवसन्निधौ यत्र कुत्र च यः पठेन्न हि तस्य मृत्युभयं भवेत् । पूर्णमायुर रोगितामखिलार्थसम्पदमादरं चन्द्रशेखर एव तस्य ददाति मुक्तिमयत्नतः ॥१०॥
He who reads this prayer, Composed by the son of Mrukandu, Who was fear struck with death, In the temple of Lord Shiva, Will not have fear of death, He would have a full healthy life, With all grains and all wealth, And will attain Salvation by the grace of Lord Chandra Shekhara.
॥इति श्रीमृकण्डसूनुविरचितं श्रीचन्द्रशेखराष्टकम् सम्पूर्णम्॥
About this stotra
The Chandrashekhar Ashtakam is a hymn of ten verses (ashtakam) composed by the son of Mrukandu Rishi — the legendary sage Markandeya, who was saved from the clutches of death (Yama) by the grace of Lord Shiva. According to the Puranas, Markandeya was destined to die at the age of sixteen. As Yama approached, he clung to a Shiva Linga and in his desperate devotion composed this very hymn. Lord Shiva, pleased with his devotion, emerged from the Linga and struck down Yama himself, granting Markandeya eternal youth and the boon of immortality.
Each verse follows a beautiful pattern — the first part describes a glorious attribute of Lord Shiva, and the recurring refrain “चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः” (I seek refuge in Chandrashekara — what can Yama do to me?) powerfully asserts that taking refuge in Shiva removes the fear of death itself.
The tenth and final verse is the phalaśruti, declaring that whoever recites this stotram with devotion in the presence of Lord Shiva will be freed from the fear of death, blessed with a long and healthy life, abundant wealth, and ultimately attain liberation.