Chandrashekhara Ashtakam

चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर पाहि माम् ।
चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर रक्ष माम् ॥ १॥

candraśekhara candraśekhara candraśekhara pāhi mām .
candraśekhara candraśekhara candraśekhara rakṣa mām .. 1..

Oh Chandrashekara (The Lord whose crown is the moon), please protect me.
Oh Chandrashekara (The Lord whose crown is the moon), please save me.

रत्नसानुशरासनं रजताद्रिशृङ्गनिकेतनं
सिञ्जिनीकृत पन्नगेश्वरमच्युताननसायकम् ।
क्षिप्रदग्धपुरत्रयं त्रिदिवालयैरभिवन्दितं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ २॥

ratnasānuśarāsanaṃ rajatādriśṛṅganiketanaṃ
siñjinīkṛta pannageśvaram acyutānanasāyakam .
kṣipradagdhapuratrayaṃ tridivālayairabhivanditaṃ
candraśekharamāśraye mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ .. 2..

The God who made Mount Meru his bow and resides on the silver mountain,
who made Vasuki the bowstring and Lord Vishnu the arrow,
the destroyer of the three cities, worshipped by the three worlds,
I take refuge in Chandrashekara, so what can Yama do to me?

पञ्चपादप पुष्पगन्ध पदाम्बुजद्वयशोभितं
भाललोचन जातपावक दग्धमन्मथ विग्रहम् ।
भस्मदिग्धकलेवरं भवनाशनं भवमव्ययं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ३॥

pañcapādapa puṣpagandha padāmbujadvayaśobhitaṃ
bhālalocana jātapāvaka dagdhamanmatha vigraham .
bhasmadigdhakalevaraṃ bhavanāśanaṃ bhavamavyayaṃ
candraśekharamāśraye mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ .. 3..

Whose feet are adorned with the fragrance of divine flowers,
who burned Manmatha with the fire of his third eye,
whose body is smeared with sacred ash and who is eternal,
I take refuge in Chandrashekara, so what can Yama do to me?

मत्तवारण मुख्यचर्मकृतोत्तरीय मनोहरं
पङ्कजासन पद्मलोचन पूजिताङ्घ्रि सरोरुहम् ।
देवसिन्धुतरङ्गसीकर सिक्तशुभ्रजटाधरं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ४॥

mattavāraṇa mukhyacarmakṛtottarīya manoharaṃ
paṅkajāsana padmalocana pūjitāṅghri saroruham .
devasindhutaraṅgasīkara siktaśubhrajaṭādharaṃ
candraśekharamāśraye mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ .. 4..

Who wears the elephant skin as his garment,
whose lotus feet are worshipped by Brahma and Vishnu,
whose matted locks are bathed by the celestial Ganga,
I take refuge in Chandrashekara, so what can Yama do to me?

यक्षराजसखं भगाक्षहरं भुजङ्गविभूषणं
शैलराजसुतापरिष्कृत चारुवामकलेवरम् ।
क्ष्वेडनीलगलं परश्वधधारिणं मृगधारिणं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ५॥

yakṣarājasakhaṃ bhagākṣaharaṃ bhujaṅgavibhūṣaṇaṃ
śailarājasutāpariṣkṛta cāruvāmakalevaram .
kṣveḍanīlagalaṃ paraśvadhadhāriṇaṃ mṛgadhāriṇaṃ
candraśekharamāśraye mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ .. 5..

The friend of Kubera, destroyer of Bhaga’s eyes, adorned with serpents,
whose left half is beautified by Goddess Parvati,
the blue-throated one bearing an axe and a deer,
I take refuge in Chandrashekara, so what can Yama do to me?

कुण्डलीकृत कुण्डलेश्वर कुण्डलं वृषवाहनं
नारदादि मुनीश्वरस्तुत वैभवं भुवनेश्वरम् ।
अन्धकान्धकामाश्रितामरपादपं शमनान्तकं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ६॥

kuṇḍalīkṛta kuṇḍaleśvara kuṇḍalaṃ vṛṣavāhanaṃ
nāradādi munīśvarastuta vaibhavaṃ bhuvaneśvaram .
andhakāndhakāmāśrita amarapādapaṃ śamanāntakaṃ
candraśekharamāśraye mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ .. 6..

The one who wears coiled serpents as earrings and rides the bull,
praised by Narada and sages, the Lord of the universe,
destroyer of Andhaka and protector of devotees,
I take refuge in Chandrashekara, so what can Yama do to me?

भेषजं भवरोगिणामखिलापदामपहारिणं
दक्षयज्ञविनाशनं त्रिगुणात्मकं त्रिविलोचनम् ।
भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदं सकलाघसङ्घनिबर्हणं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ७॥

bheṣajaṃ bhavarogiṇām akhilāpadāmapahāriṇaṃ
dakṣayajñavināśanaṃ triguṇātmakaṃ trivilocanam .
bhuktimuktiphalapradaṃ sakalāghasaṅghanibarhaṇaṃ
candraśekharamāśraye mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ .. 7..

The healer of worldly sorrow and remover of all afflictions,
destroyer of Daksha’s sacrifice, embodiment of the three gunas,
bestower of enjoyment, liberation and destroyer of sins,
I take refuge in Chandrashekara, so what can Yama do to me?

भक्तवत्सलमर्चितं निधिमक्षयं हरिदम्बरं
सर्वभूतपतिं परात्परमप्रमेयमनुत्तमम् ।
सोमवारिद भूहुताशन सोमपानिलखाकृतिं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ८॥

bhaktavatsalamarcitaṃ nidhimakṣayaṃ haridambaraṃ
sarvabhūtapatiṃ parātparam aprameyamanuttamam .
somavārida bhūhutāśana somapānilakhākṛtiṃ
candraśekharamāśraye mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ .. 8..

The protector of devotees, inexhaustible treasure, supreme and incomparable,
the Lord of all beings, beyond measure and unsurpassed,
present in sacred Soma rites,
I take refuge in Chandrashekara, so what can Yama do to me?

विश्वसृष्टि विधायिनं पुनरेव पालनतत्परं
संहरन्तमपि प्रपञ्चमशेष लोकनिवासिनम् ।
क्रीडयन्त महर्निशं गणनाथयूथ समन्वितं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ९॥

viśvasṛṣṭi vidhāyinaṃ punareva pālanatatparaṃ
saṃharantamapi prapañcamaśeṣa lokanivāsinam .
krīḍayanta maharniśaṃ gaṇanāthayūtha samanvitaṃ
candraśekharamāśraye mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ .. 9..

The creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe,
dwelling in all worlds, playful with the Ganas day and night,
I take refuge in Chandrashekara, so what can Yama do to me?

मृत्युभीतमृकण्डसूनु कृतस्तवं शिवसन्निधौ
यत्र कुत्र च यः पठेन्न हि तस्य मृत्युभयं भवेत् ।
पूर्णमायुर रोगितामखिलार्थसम्पदमादरं
चन्द्रशेखर एव तस्य ददाति मुक्तिमयत्नतः ॥ १०॥

mṛtyubhītamṛkaṇḍasūnu kṛtastavaṃ śivasannidhau
yatra kutra ca yaḥ paṭhenna hi tasya mṛtyubhayaṃ bhavet .
pūrṇamāyura rogitām akhilārtha sampadamādaraṃ
candraśekhara eva tasya dadāti muktimayatnataḥ .. 10..

He who recites this hymn composed by the son of Mrikandu,
will be freed from fear of death,
will enjoy long life, health and prosperity,
and will attain liberation by the grace of Lord Chandrashekara.

Description

Chandrashekhara ashtakam is a divine hymn to praise God Shiva as Chandrasekhara, the lord who is adorned with moon on his head (Chandra – moon, Sekhar – crown) . The Chandrashekhara Ashtakam is a great remedy for protection from difficulties including untimely death due to accidents etc.

The lyrics and meaning of Chandrasekhara Ashtakam have an in-depth explanation of the greatness of God shiva, his appearance, the protection offered to his devotees, along with the divine qualities of the Lord.

It was the hymn sung by Markandeya rishi and is related to his legend where he offered his prayers to God Shiva, in order to get away from the clutches of the Yama, the lord of death. During which, God Shiva offered his protection to Markandeya, defeating Yama to the point of death.

Chandrasekhar Ashtakam was written by Rishi Markandeya. One legend relates the story of how Lord Shiva protected Markandeya from the clutches of death, personified as Lord Yama.

Mrikandu rishi and his wife Marudmati worshipped Shiva and sought from him the boon of begetting a son. As a result, he was given the choice of either a righteous son, but with a short life on earth or 100 long-lived, foolish sons. Mrikandu rishi chose the former and was blessed with Markandeya, an exemplary son, destined to die at the age of 16.

Markandeya grew up to be a great devotee of Shiva and on the day of his destined death, he continued his worship of Shiva in his aniconic form of Shivalingam. The messengers of Yama, the god of death were unable to take away his life because of his great devotion and continual worship of Shiva. Yama then came in person to take away Markandeya’s life and sprung his noose around the young sage’s neck. By accident or fate the noose mistakenly landed around the Shivalingam, and out of it, Shiva emerged in all his fury attacking Yama for his act of aggression. After defeating Yama in a battle to the point of death, Shiva then revived him, under the condition that the devout youth would live forever. For this act, Shiva was thereafter also known as Kalantaka (“Ender of Death”).

The word Kalantaka means “He who ends Death”. The name is derived from two Sanskrit words- kala (काल) which means “Death or Time” and antaka (अन्तक) which means “He who ends”.

Sage Markandeya sang the Chandrasekhar Ashtakam in praise of Lord Shiva. Every single word in the song is absolutely profound and beautiful.

Chandrashekhara Ashtakam

Chandrashekhara Ashtakam is one of the most sacred hymns dedicated to Lord Shiva, glorifying His divine grace, protection, strength, compassion, and supreme spiritual power. Devotees chant Chandrashekhara Ashtakam with deep faith and devotion to seek blessings, inner peace, courage, purity, and liberation from fear and suffering. The powerful verses of Chandrashekhara Ashtakam praise Lord Shiva as Chandrashekhara, the one who adorns the crescent moon upon His head and protects devotees from all difficulties and negativity. Devotional India continues to preserve and spread the timeless spiritual wisdom and sacred traditions associated with Lord Shiva and divine worship.

The spiritual significance of Chandrashekhara Ashtakam lies in its ability to purify the mind and awaken divine consciousness within the heart of the devotee. Through sincere chanting of Chandrashekhara Ashtakam, seekers experience peace, faith, devotion, self-confidence, and spiritual strength. The hymn reminds humanity that Lord Shiva is the eternal protector who removes fear, ignorance, attachment, and suffering. Saints and sages have praised Chandrashekhara Ashtakam as a sacred source of divine grace and spiritual upliftment. Devotional India inspires devotees to practise prayer, meditation, chanting, devotion, and righteous living through sacred hymns and spiritual teachings.

The verses of Chandrashekhara Ashtakam beautifully describe the glory, compassion, and divine presence of Lord Shiva. Devotees believe that regular recitation of Chandrashekhara Ashtakam helps remove obstacles, negative thoughts, fear, anxiety, and inner weakness while bringing courage, wisdom, positivity, and spiritual awareness. The divine vibrations of Chandrashekhara Ashtakam create mental peace and spiritual harmony within the seeker. Through devotion and remembrance of Lord Shiva, one gradually moves toward self-realisation and divine consciousness. Devotional India continues to spread the sacred message of Bhakti, Yoga, spirituality, meditation, and divine life for humanity.

The wisdom of Chandrashekhara Ashtakam also teaches the importance of surrender, humility, devotion, and faith in God during difficult times. Lord Shiva, praised through Chandrashekhara Ashtakam, is worshipped as the destroyer of ignorance, ego, fear, and negativity. The sacred hymn inspires devotees to cultivate truth, purity, compassion, patience, self-control, and spiritual discipline in daily life. Through meditation, prayer, chanting, and constant remembrance of Shiva, seekers attain inner peace and divine strength. Devotional India encourages humanity to follow the spiritual path of righteousness, devotion, universal love, and selfless service.

The chanting of Chandrashekhara Ashtakam is especially meaningful during spiritual practices, Shivaratri celebrations, meditation, and daily worship of Lord Shiva. The sacred power of Chandrashekhara Ashtakam fills the atmosphere with positivity, devotion, divine vibrations, and spiritual inspiration. Through sincere recitation and faith, devotees experience the blessings of Lord Shiva and spiritual upliftment. The eternal teachings and spiritual beauty of Chandrashekhara Ashtakam continue to inspire countless seekers toward divine consciousness, peace, liberation, and self-realisation.

-Bilvashtakam