Chandrashekhara Ashtakam/ चन्द्रशेखराष्टकं

Introduction- Chandrasekhara Ashtakam) was written by Sage Markandeya, an ancient Hindu Rishi who was saved by Chandrashekara or Lord Shiva from Lord of Death (Kala or Yama) at the age of 16 and blessed him to be 16 forever. It is believed that Sage Markandeya sung this beautiful Sanskrit stotra when Chandra Shekara (Lord Shiv) saved the sage from death.

Benefits of chanting Chandrasekhara Ashtakam - Those who chant Chandra Sekhara Ashtakam daily or on every Monday will not have any fear of death and would have full healthy life and gain all wealth with the blessing of Lord Chandra Sekhara and attain salvation in the end.

 चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर पाहिमाम् ।, चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर रक्षमाम् ॥ १॥

रत्नसानुशरासनं रजतादिशृङ्गनिकेतनं,  सिञ्जिनीकृतपन्नगेश्वरमच्युताननसायकम् ।

 क्षिप्रदघपुरत्रयं त्रिदिवालयैभिवन्दितं, चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ २॥

Rathna sanu sarasanam, rajathadri srunga nikethanam, Sinchini krutha pannageswarachyuthahana sayakam,

Kshipra dhagdha pura thrayam thri, divalayairabhi vanditham, Chandra shekaramasraye mama kim karishyathi vai yama.1

I seek refuge in Him, who has the moon, Who made the mountain of jewels in to his bow,  Who resides on the mountain of silver,  Who made the serpent Vasuki as rope,  Who made Lord Vishnu as arrows,  And quickly destroyed the three cities,  And who is saluted by the three worlds,  And so what can the God of death do to me?

पञ्चपादपपुष्पगन्धपदाम्बुजदूयशोभितं, भाललोचनजातपावकदग्धमन्मथविग्रह।म् ।, 
भस्मदिग्धकलेवरं भवनाशनं भवमव्ययं चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर रक्षमाम् ॥ ३॥

 Pancha paada pa pushpa gandhambhuja dwaya shobitham, Phala lochana jatha pavaka dagdha manmatha vigraham,

Basma digdha kalebharam, bhava nasanam, bhava mavyayam, Chandra shekaramasraye mama kim karishyathi vai yama.2

I seek refuge in Him, who has the moon,  Who shines with the pair of his lotus like feet,  Which are worshipped by the scented flowers of five kalpaka trees,  Who burnt the body of God of love,  Using the fire from the eyes on his forehead,

 Who applies ash all over his body,  Who destroys the sorrow of life,  And who does not have destruction,  And so what can the God of death do to me?

  

मत्त्वारणमुख्यचर्मकृतोत्तरीमनोहरं पङ्कजासनपद्मलोचनपुजिताङ्घ्रिसरोरुहम् ।
 देवसिन्धुतरङ्गसीकर सिक्तशुभ्रजटाधरं चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर रक्षमाम् ॥ ४॥

 Matha varana mukhya charma kruthothareeya mahoharam, Pankajasana padma lochana poojithangri saroruham,

Deva sindhu tharanga seekara siktha jatadharam, Chandra shekaramasraye mama kim karishyathi vai yama.3

I seek refuge in Him, who has the moon,  Who is the stealer of minds because of his upper cloth,  Made of the skin of the ferocious elephant,  Who has lotus like feet which are worshipped,  By Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu,

 And who has matted hair drenched by drops,  Of the waves of the holy river Ganga,  And so what can God of death do to me?

यक्षराजसखं भगाक्षहरं भुजङ्गविभूषणं, शैलराजसुता परिष्कृत चारुवामकलेवरम् । 
क्ष्वेडनीलगलं परश्वधधारिणं मृगधारिणं चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर रक्षमाम् ॥ ५॥

 Yaksha raja sakham bhagaksha haram bhujanga bhooshanam, Shila raje suthaa parish krutha charu vama kalebharam,

Kshweda neela galam praswadha dharinam mruga dharinam, Chandra shekaramasraye mama kim karishyathi vai yama.4

I seek refuge in Him, who has the moon,  Who is friend of Lord Khubhera,  Who destroyed the eyes of Bhaga, Who wears serpent as ornament,  Whose left part of the body is decorated,  By the daughter of the king of mountain, Whose neck is blue because of the poison,  Who is armed with an axe,  And who carries a deer with Him, And so what can God of death do to me?

कुण्डलीकृतकुण्डलेश्वरकुण्डलं वृषवाहनं, नारदादिमुनीश्वरस्तुतवैभवं भुवनेश्वरम् ।
अन्धकान्धकामा श्रिता मरपादपं शमनान्तकं चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर रक्षमाम् ॥ ६॥

 Kundali krutha kundaleeswara kundalam vrusha vahanam, Naradadhi muneeswara sthutha vaibhavam bhuvaneswaram,

Andhakandhaka masrithamara padapam samananthakam, Chandra shekaramasraye mama kim karishyathi vai yama.5

I seek refuge in Him, who has the moon,  Who wears the ear studs made of a curling serpent,  Who is the great one being praised by Narada and other sages,  Who is the Lord of the entire earth,  Who is the killer of Anthakasura.

 Who is the wish giving tree to his devotees,  And who is the killer of God of death,  And so what can God of death do to me?

  

भषजं भवरोगिणामखिलापदामपहारिणं, दक्षयज्ञर्विनाशनं त्रिगुणात्मकं त्रिविलोचनम् ।  
भुक्तिमुक्तफलप्रदं सकलाघसङ्घनिवर्हनं चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर रक्षमाम् ॥ ७॥

Bheshajam bhava roginamkhilapadamapa harinam, Daksha yagna vinasanam trigunathmakam trivilochanam,

Bhukthi mukthi phala pradham sakalagha sanga nibharhanam, Chandra shekaramasraye mama kim karishyathi vai yama.6

I seek refuge in Him, who has the moon,  Who is the doctor who cures sorrowful life,  Who destroys all sorts of dangers,

 Who destroyed the fire sacrifice of Daksha,  Who is personification of three qualities,  Who has three different eyes,

 Who bestows devotion and salvation,  And who destroys all types of sins,  And so what can God of death do to me?

  

भक्त वत्सलमचिञ्तं निधिमक्षयं हरिदम्वरं, सर्वभूतपतिं परात्पर प्रमेयमनुत्तमम् । 
सोमवारिज भूहुताशनसोमपानिलखाकृतिं चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर रक्षमाम् ॥ ८॥

Bhaktha vathsala marchitham, nidhim,akshayam, Haridambaram, Sarva bhoothapathim, Parathparam apreya manuthamam, Soma varinabhoohuthasana somapanilakha krutheem, Chandra shekaramasraye mama kim karishyathi vai yama.7

I seek refuge in Him, who has the moon, Who is worshipped as darling of devotees,  Who is the treasure which is perennial,  Who clothes Himself with the directions,  Who is the chief of all beings,  Who is beyond the unreachable God,

 Who is not understood by any one,  Who is the holiest of every one,  And who is served by moon, water, sun, earth,

 Fire, ether, boss and the Wind  And so what can god of death do to me?

  

विश्वसृष्टिविधालिनं पुनरेव पालनतत्परं, संहरन्तमपि प्रपञ्चम शेषलोकनिवासिनम् ।
 क्रिडयन्तमहर्निशं गणनाथयूथ समन्वितंचन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेकर चन्द्रशेकर रक्षमाम् ॥ ९॥

Viswa srushti vidhayinam, punareva palana thathparam, Samharathamapi prapanchamasesha loka nivasinam,

Kredayanthamaharnisam, gana nadha yudha samnvitham, Chandra shekaramasraye mama kim karishyathi vai yama.8

I seek refuge in Him, who has the moon, Who does the creation of the universe,  Who then is interested in its upkeep,

 Who at proper time destroys the universe,  Who lives in every being of the universe,  Who is plays day and night with all beings,  Who is the leader of all beings,  And who is like any one of them,  And so what can god of death do to me?

मृत्युभीतमृकण्डसूनुकृतस्तव शिव सन्निधौ, यत्र कुत्र च पठेन्नहि तस्य मृत्युभयं भवेत् । पूर्णमायुररोगितामखिलाथ सम्पदमादरंचन्द्रशेखर एव तस्य ददाति मुक्तिमयत्नतः ॥ १०॥

 Mruthyu bheetha mrukandu soonu krutha sthavam shiva sannidhou, Yathra Thathra cha ya padennahi thasya mruthyu bhayam bhaveth, Poorna mayor aroghitha makhilarthasambadamdhyam, Chandra Shekara Eva thasya dadadhathi mukthi mayathnatha. 9

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 full healthy life,  With all grains and all wealth,  And Lord Chandra Shekara,  Would give Him,  Salvation in the end.

॥ इति चन्द्रशेखराष्टकम् ॥

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