𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰 𑌅𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍍
Chandrashekhara Ashtakam in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥
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Origin & Story
Traditional Shaiva stotra literature, popularly attributed to the sage Markandeya · Traditionally attributed to Markandeya Rishi · Classical (ancient)
The Chandrashekhara Ashtakam is traditionally linked to Markandeya, the boy who was fated to die at the age of sixteen. As the appointed hour arrived and Yama's noose descended, Markandeya clung to the Shiva Lingam and poured out his devotion. Lord Shiva, the conqueror of death, emerged from the Lingam, struck down Yama, and blessed the boy with deathlessness. The hymn's defiant refrain — 'I take refuge in Chandrashekhara, what can Yama do to me?' — captures this victory of devotion over death, and it has been chanted ever since for fearlessness and protection.
✦ As told in scripture
It is said that the boy-sage Markandeya, embracing the Shiva Lingam as Yama's noose fell upon him, was spared death itself when Lord Shiva burst forth and granted him eternal youth. Devotees believe that chanting the Chandrashekhara Ashtakam with this same spirit of total refuge shields one from untimely death and turns the heart utterly fearless.
Complete Text with Meaning
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𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰 𑌪𑌾𑌹𑌿 𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍। 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰 𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷 𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍॥
Chandrashekhara Chandrashekhara Chandrashekhara Pahi Mam Chandrashekhara Chandrashekhara Chandrashekhara Raksha Mam
Meaning:O Chandrashekhara, Chandrashekhara, Chandrashekhara — protect me! O Chandrashekhara, Chandrashekhara, Chandrashekhara — save me!
𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌨𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌶𑌰𑌾𑌸𑌨𑌂 𑌰𑌜𑌤𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌶𑍃𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌨𑌿𑌕𑍇𑌤𑌨𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌿𑌨𑍀𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌪𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌗𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑌚𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌤𑌾𑌨𑌨𑌸𑌾𑌯𑌕𑌮𑍍। 𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌦𑌗𑍍𑌧𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌯𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌦𑌶𑌾𑌲𑌯𑍈𑌰𑌭𑌿𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌯𑍇 𑌮𑌮 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿 𑌵𑍈 𑌯𑌮𑌃॥
Ratna-sanu-sharasanam Rajatadri-shringa-niketanam Shinjini-krita-pannageshvaram Achyutanana-sayakam Kshipra-dagdha-pura-trayam Tridashalayair-abhivanditam Chandrashekharam-ashraye Mama Kim Karishyati Vai Yamah
Meaning:He whose bow is the jewelled mountain, who dwells upon the peak of the silver mountain, who made the king of serpents his bowstring and Vishnu his arrow, who swiftly burned the three cities, who is worshipped by the dwellers of heaven — I take refuge in that Chandrashekhara. What indeed can the lord of death do to me?
𑌪𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌪𑌪𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌪𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌪𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌬𑍁𑌜𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌶𑍋𑌭𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌭𑌾𑌲𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌜𑌾𑌤𑌪𑌾𑌵𑌕𑌦𑌗𑍍𑌧𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌥𑌵𑌿𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌹𑌮𑍍। 𑌭𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌦𑌿𑌗𑍍𑌧𑌕𑌲𑍇𑌵𑌰𑌂 𑌭𑌵𑌨𑌾𑌶𑌨𑌂 𑌭𑌵𑌮𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌯𑌂 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌯𑍇 𑌮𑌮 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿 𑌵𑍈 𑌯𑌮𑌃॥
Pancha-padapa-pushpa-gandha-padambuja-dvaya-shobhitam Bhala-lochana-jata-pavaka-dagdha-manmatha-vigraham Bhasma-digdha-kalevaram Bhava-nashanam Bhavam-avyayam Chandrashekharam-ashraye Mama Kim Karishyati Vai Yamah
Meaning:He whose two lotus feet are fragrant and worshipped with flowers, who burned the body of Manmatha with the fire of his forehead eye, whose body is smeared with ash, who destroys worldly bondage and is himself imperishable — I take refuge in that Chandrashekhara. What indeed can the lord of death do to me?
𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌣𑌮𑍁𑌖𑍍𑌯𑌚𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌕𑍃𑌤𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌰𑍀𑌯𑌮𑌨𑍋𑌹𑌰𑌂 𑌪𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌜𑌾𑌸𑌨𑌪𑌦𑍍𑌮𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌪𑍂𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌘𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌸𑌰𑍋𑌰𑍁𑌹𑌮𑍍। 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌸𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍁𑌤𑌰𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌸𑍀𑌕𑌰𑌸𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌶𑍁𑌭𑍍𑌰𑌜𑌟𑌾𑌧𑌰𑌂 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌯𑍇 𑌮𑌮 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿 𑌵𑍈 𑌯𑌮𑌃॥
Matta-varana-mukhya-charma-kritottariya-manoharam Pankajasana-padma-lochana-pujitanghri-saroruham Deva-sindhu-taranga-sikara-sikta-shubhra-jatadharam Chandrashekharam-ashraye Mama Kim Karishyati Vai Yamah
Meaning:He who is beautiful, wearing the hide of the mighty elephant as an upper garment, whose lotus feet are worshipped by the lotus-eyed lotus-seated Brahma, who bears bright matted locks moistened by the spray of the celestial Ganga's waves — I take refuge in that Chandrashekhara. What indeed can the lord of death do to me?
𑌯𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌰𑌾𑌜𑌸𑌖𑌂 𑌭𑌗𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌹𑌰𑌂 𑌭𑍁𑌜𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌣𑌂 𑌶𑍈𑌲𑌰𑌾𑌜𑌸𑍁𑌤𑌾𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌚𑌾𑌰𑍁𑌵𑌾𑌮𑌕𑌲𑍇𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍍। 𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌲𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌗𑌲𑌂 𑌪𑌰𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌧𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌣𑌂 𑌮𑍃𑌗𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌣𑌂 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌯𑍇 𑌮𑌮 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿 𑌵𑍈 𑌯𑌮𑌃॥
Yaksha-raja-sakham Bhagaksha-haram Bhujanga-vibhushanam Shaila-raja-sutaparishkrita-charu-vama-kalevaram Kshvela-neela-galam Parashvadha-dharinam Mriga-dharinam Chandrashekharam-ashraye Mama Kim Karishyati Vai Yamah
Meaning:He who is the friend of Kubera, who destroyed Bhaga's eyes, who is adorned with serpents, whose lovely left half is shared by the daughter of the mountain king (Parvati), whose throat is blue from poison, who holds an axe and a deer — I take refuge in that Chandrashekhara. What indeed can the lord of death do to me?
𑌕𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲𑍀𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌕𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲𑍀𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌕𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲𑌂 𑌵𑍃𑌷𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌨𑌂 𑌨𑌾𑌰𑌦𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌮𑍁𑌨𑍀𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌤𑌵𑍈𑌭𑌵𑌂 𑌭𑍁𑌵𑌨𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍍। 𑌅𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌕𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌕𑌮𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌮𑌰𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌪𑌂 𑌶𑌮𑌨𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌕𑌂 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌯𑍇 𑌮𑌮 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿 𑌵𑍈 𑌯𑌮𑌃॥
Kundali-krita-kundalishvara-kundalam Vrisha-vahanam Naradadi-muneeshvara-stuta-vaibhavam Bhuvaneshvaram Andhakantakam-ashritamara-padapam Shamanantakam Chandrashekharam-ashraye Mama Kim Karishyati Vai Yamah
Meaning:He who wears coiled serpent earrings, who rides the bull, whose glory is praised by Narada and the great sages, the lord of the worlds, the slayer of Andhaka, the wish-fulfilling tree for those who take refuge, the ender of Yama — I take refuge in that Chandrashekhara. What indeed can the lord of death do to me?
𑌭𑍇𑌷𑌜𑌂 𑌭𑌵𑌰𑍋𑌗𑌿𑌣𑌾𑌮𑌖𑌿𑌲𑌾𑌪𑌦𑌾𑌮𑌪𑌹𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌣𑌂 𑌦𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌯𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌵𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌶𑌨𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌗𑍁𑌣𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌵𑌿𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌮𑍍। 𑌭𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌫𑌲𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌦𑌂 𑌸𑌕𑌲𑌾𑌘𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌘𑌨𑌿𑌬𑌰𑍍𑌹𑌣𑌂 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌯𑍇 𑌮𑌮 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿 𑌵𑍈 𑌯𑌮𑌃॥
Bheshajam Bhava-roginam-akhilapadam-apaharinam Daksha-yajna-vinashanam Triguna-atmakam Tri-vilochanam Bhukti-mukti-phala-pradam Sakalagha-sangha-nibarhanam Chandrashekharam-ashraye Mama Kim Karishyati Vai Yamah
Meaning:He who is the medicine for those sick with worldly existence, who removes all calamities, who destroyed Daksha's sacrifice, who embodies the three gunas and has three eyes, who grants both enjoyment and liberation and annihilates all heaps of sin — I take refuge in that Chandrashekhara. What indeed can the lord of death do to me?
𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌲𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌧𑌿𑌮𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌯𑌂 𑌹𑌰𑌿𑌦𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌰𑌂 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌭𑍂𑌤𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌂 𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍇𑌯𑌮𑌨𑍁𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌮𑌮𑍍। 𑌸𑍋𑌮𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌨𑌭𑍋𑌹𑍁𑌤𑌾𑌶𑌨𑌸𑍋𑌮𑌪𑌾𑌮𑌰𑌮𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌂 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌯𑍇 𑌮𑌮 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿 𑌵𑍈 𑌯𑌮𑌃॥
Bhakta-vatsalam-architam Nidhim-akshayam Haridambaram Sarva-bhuta-patim Paratparam-aprameyam-anuttamam Soma-vari-nabho-hutashana-somapa-mareshvaram Chandrashekharam-ashraye Mama Kim Karishyati Vai Yamah
Meaning:He who is affectionate to devotees, who is worshipped, an inexhaustible treasure, who wears the directions as his garment (sky-clad), the lord of all beings, supreme beyond the supreme, immeasurable, unsurpassed, who is the moon, water, sky, fire, and the great lord — I take refuge in that Chandrashekhara. What indeed can the lord of death do to me?
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Chandrashekhara Ashtakam
Grants fearlessness and freedom from the fear of death (mrityu-bhaya)
Invokes Shiva's protection against accidents, illness and untimely danger
The refrain 'what can Yama do to me?' instils deep courage and surrender
Associated with Markandeya's victory over death — chanted for longevity
Removes obstacles, calamities and the burden of accumulated sins
Bestows both worldly well-being (bhukti) and liberation (mukti)
Calms the mind and deepens unwavering devotion to Lord Shiva
How to Chant Chandrashekhara Ashtakam
Sit facing east or north before an image or Lingam of Shiva, light a lamp, and begin with the opening refrain 'Chandrashekhara... Pahi Mam... Raksha Mam' three times. Then chant the eight verses slowly, returning in your heart to the closing line 'Mama Kim Karishyati Vai Yamah' as a declaration of complete refuge. It is especially recited during illness or fear, and on behalf of the sick for protection and recovery.
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