The ചംദ്രശേഖര അഷ്ടകമ് is a heartfelt hymn composed by the sage മാര്കംഡേയ in praise of Lord Shiva, specifically in his form as ചംദ്രശേഖര, the one adorned with the crescent moon. The hymn celebrates Shiva’s role as a compassionate protector who rescues his devotees from the grip of fear, sin, and even death itself. It was born out of Markandeya’s own miraculous escape from death, when Lord Shiva intervened to save him from Yama, the god of death, granting him immortality.
Each verse of the ashtakam highlights Shiva’s divine attributes — his fearsome beauty, his cosmic power, and his unwavering protection of those who surrender to him. The hymn portrays Shiva as the eternal, fearless Lord who removes obstacles and grants liberation. Reciting or meditating on this ashtakam is believed to bring inner strength, fearlessness, and the blessings of Shiva’s grace.
ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര പാഹിമാമ് ।
ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര രക്ഷമാമ് ॥ (2)
Meaning:
The one who wears the moon as a crest (ചംദ്രശേഖര), Protect me!
The one who wears the moon as a crest (ചംദ്രശേഖര), Guard me!
Commentary:
This simple yet profound shloka is a repetition of surrender to Lord Shiva in his form as Chandraśekhara, the one who adorns the crescent moon on his matted locks.
The repetition of the name “Chandraśekhara” three times in both lines serves as a mantric invocation, building intensity and devotion. Repetition in Sanskrit mantras is often used to focus the mind and invoke deeper spiritual connection.
When the devotee says “pāhi mām”, it is a heartfelt plea: “O Lord, protector of the universe, may your grace uphold me and guide me through life’s
രത്നസാനു ശരാസനം രജതാദ്രി ശൃംഗ നികേതനം
ശിംജിനീകൃത പന്നഗേശ്വര മച്യുതാനല സായകമ് ।
ക്ഷിപ്രദഗ്ദ പുരത്രയം ത്രിദശാലയൈ-രഭിവംദിതം
ചംദ്രശേഖരമാശ്രയേ മമ കിം കരിഷ്യതി വൈ യമഃ ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
He, who holds a bow and resides on the peak of the silver mountain, Mount Kailāsa,
He, who wears the king of snakes (പന്നഗേശ്വര) that makes jingling sounds, and who uses Vishnu as the arrow, which emanates fire.
The One who instantly burned the three cities (Tripura), and is worshipped by the devatas (who dwell in the heaven)
I take refuge in Chandraśekhara (Shiva); what can Yama, the God of death, do to me?
Commentary:
This verse is a powerful hymn in praise of Lord Shiva as Chandraśekhara, describing how he dissolve tripuras which are three cities that represent the body, mind, and ego; their destruction by Shiva symbolizes the dissolution of the false self and the triumph of pure consciousness. It shows that only through divine grace and inner alignment can one overcome maya (illusion) and attain moksha (liberation). the moon-crested Lord. It describes Shiva as the majestic archer seated on a jewel-studded mountain, dwelling on the silver peaks of Mount Kailāsa. Adorned with the King of Serpents whose jingling adds to his divine aura, Shiva’s might surpasses even Vishnu and Agni, as symbolized by his supreme weapons. He is the destroyer of the three demon cities (Tripura) with a single arrow—an act that earned him the worship of all the gods. The devotee, after describing Shiva’s divine power, declares with complete surrender and confidence: “I take refuge in Chandraśekhara—what can Yama, the god of death, do to me?” The verse reflects deep devotion, fearlessness, and the assurance of spiritual liberation through unwavering faith in Shiva.
പംചപാദപ പുഷ്പഗംധ പദാംബുജ ദ്വയശോഭിതം
ഫാലലോചന ജാതപാവക ദഗ്ധ മന്മധ വിഗ്രഹമ് ।
ഭസ്മദിഗ്ധ കളേബരം ഭവനാശനം ഭവ മവ്യയം
ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര രക്ഷമാമ് ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
He, whose pair of lotus feet are made fragrant and beautiful by the scent of flowers from the five sacred trees.
He, whose form burned Manmadha or kamadeva (representing desire) to ashes with the fire that emerged from his third eye.
He, whose body is smeared with sacred ash, the destroyer of worldly illusion, the eternal and unchanging being.
The one whose crest is adorned by the moon (ചംദ്രശേഖര), Guard me!
Commentary:
This verse refers to the story of Shiva burning Manmadha or kamadeva with his third eye, which teaches us a deep spiritual lesson. Manmadha represents desire — the kind that pulls us toward temporary pleasures and distractions. When he tries to disturb Shiva’s deep meditation, Shiva opens his third eye — the eye of wisdom — and burns him. This symbolizes how inner awareness and true knowledge can destroy the desires that keep us restless and tied to the outside world.
Rather than rejecting love or emotions, the story shows that real love must come from a place of clarity, purpose, and inner peace, not from blind desire. Shiva later accepts Parvati with love and devotion, showing that when desire is transformed, it can serve a higher, divine purpose. In short, the story reminds us that by mastering our desires through wisdom and self-awareness, we can find peace, purpose, and spiritual freedom.
മത്തവാരണ മുഖ്യചര്മ കൃതോത്തരീയ മനോഹരം
പംകജാസന പദ്മലോചന പൂജിതാംഘ്രി സരോരുഹമ് ।
ദേവ സിംധു തരംഗ ശ്രീകര സിക്ത ശുഭ്ര ജടാധരം
ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര പാഹിമാമ് ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
The one who looks magnificient wearing the hide of a mighty, intoxicated elephant as his upper garment.
He, whose lotus feet are worshipped by Brahma who is seated on a lotus, and Vishnu with eyes like lotuses.
He, who wears radiant matted locks soaked by the sacred waves of the divine river Ganga.
The one who wears the moon as a crest (ചംദ്രശേഖര), Protect me!
Commentary:
These verses glorify Lord Chandraśekhara as the embodiment of both divine power and spiritual grace. Draped in the skin of a wild, mighty elephant, he stands as a symbol of fearlessness and complete mastery over ego and primal force. His lotus-like feet, soft yet supreme, are reverently worshipped by Brahma and Vishnu, signifying his position beyond creation and preservation. From his radiant, matted locks flows the celestial Ganga, her sacred waves made calm by his touch—revealing his role as the gentle controller of even the most powerful energies. Shiva is the stillness amidst chaos, the source beyond all forms. The repeated invocation—"Chandraśekhara, protect me!"—is a bold surrender, a call for refuge in the one who destroys illusion, fear, and death itself. In his presence, the soul stands fearless, anchored in the eternal.
യക്ഷ രാജസഖം ഭഗാക്ഷ ഹരം ഭുജംഗ വിഭൂഷണമ്
ശൈലരാജ സുതാ പരിഷ്കൃത ചാരുവാമ കളേബരമ് ।
ക്ഷേള നീലഗളം പരശ്വധ ധാരിണം മൃഗധാരിണമ്
ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര പാഹിമാമ് ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
He is the friend of Kubera, the destroyer of Bhaga’s eyes, and is adorned with serpents as ornaments.
The one whose beautiful left side is adorned by the daughter of the mountain king (Parvati).
The one with a blue, poison-stained throat, who holds a battle axe and a deer in his hands.
The one whose crest is adorned by the moon (ചംദ്രശേഖര), protect me!
Commentary:
This verse praises Lord Shiva as the powerful and compassionate protector.
He is Kubera’s friend, the destroyer of ego (Bhaga’s eyes), and wears snakes as ornaments.
His left side is adorned by Parvati, symbolizing divine unity.
During the churning of the cosmic ocean (Samudra Manthan), a deadly poison called ഹാലഹല emerged, threatening to destroy all creation. To save the world, Lord Shiva drank the poison and held it in his throat, which turned blue from its potency. This earned him the name നീലകംഠ, symbolizing his selfless act to protect the universe.With a battle axe, and a deer, he shows both strength and grace.
മാര്കംഡേയ calls:
“O Chandraśekhara, please protect me!”
കുംഡലീകൃത കുംഡലീശ്വര കുംഡലം വൃഷവാഹനം
നാരദാദി മുനീശ്വര സ്തുതവൈഭവം ഭുവനേശ്വരമ് ।
അംധകാംതക മാശ്രിതാമര പാദപം ശമനാംതകം
ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര രക്ഷമാമ് ॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
The Lord adorned with coiled serpents, master of serpents, wearing earrings, and riding the bull Nandi.
The glory of whom is praised by sages like Nārada; the Supreme Lord of all the worlds.
The destroyer of the demon Andhaka, a divine refuge for the gods, and the one who ends all suffering.
The one whose crest is adorned by the moon (ചംദ്രശേഖര), Guard me!
Commentary:
These lines praise Lord Chandraśekhara as the supreme master of power, protection, and cosmic balance. He is described as Kuṇḍalīkṛta Kuṇḍaleśvara—the Lord adorned with coiled serpents, symbolizing his fearless command over even the most feared beings. Riding the mighty bull Nandi (വൃഷഭവാഹന), he represents strength and unwavering dharma. He is worshipped by the greatest sages like Nārada and others, whose praises reflect his boundless glory as Bhuvaneshvara, the Lord of all worlds. He is the fierce destroyer of the demon Andhaka, yet the gentle wish-fulfilling tree for the gods who seek his refuge. As ശമനാംതക, he ends all suffering and grants peace. Markandeya’s repeated call—“Chandraśekhara, protect me!”—is a cry of deep trust in the one who holds both terrible power and tender mercy, the guardian of all that is pure, just, and eternal
ഭേഷജം ഭവരോഗിണാ മഖിലാപദാ മപഹാരിണം
ദക്ഷയജ്ഞ വിനാശനം ത്രിഗുണാത്മകം ത്രിവിലോചനമ് ।
ഭക്തി മുക്തി ഫലപ്രദം സകലാഘ സംഘ നിബര്ഹണം
ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര രക്ഷമാമ് ॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
He is the healer for those afflicted by worldly problems (saṁsāra) and the remover of all forms of suffering.
He is the destroyer of Daksha’s yajña (sacrifice), the embodiment of the three guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas), and the three-eyed Lord who sees past, present, and future.
He is the giver of both devotion and liberation, and the destroyer of all accumulated sins.
The one whose crest is adorned by the moon (chandraSEkhara), Guard me!
Commentary:
This verse describes Lord ചംദ്രശേഖര (Shiva) as the ultimate healer and savior.
It praises Lord Shiva as the ultimate healer, not just of physical illness, but of the deep suffering caused by ignorance, attachment, ego, and the endless cycle of birth and death (samsara).
He is the three-eyed Lord, all-seeing and all-knowing, and the powerful destroyer of ego and false rituals (as in the Daksha Yajña).In the story of Daksha Yajna, King Daksha, driven by ego, led to the death of his own daughter Sati and shiva destroys the yajna as a consequence. Shiva’s response reveals that divine wrath is not out of vengeance, but a force that restores dharma and balance.
With deep faith, മാര്കംഡേയ, praying:
“O Chandraśekhara, please protect me!”
ഭക്തവത്സല-മര്ചിതം നിധിമക്ഷയം ഹരിദംബരം
സർവഭൂത പതിം പരാത്പര-മപ്രമേയ മനുത്തമമ് ।
സോമവാരുണ ഭൂഹുതാശന സോമ പാദ്യഖിലാകൃതിം
ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര പാഹിമാമ് ॥ 7 ॥
Meaning:
He is loving and compassionate to his devotees, worshipped with devotion, an eternal treasure, and is clothed in radiant brilliance.
He is the supreme Lord of all living beings, the One who transcends even the highest, beyond measure, beyond comparison—matchless and absolute.
He to whom the Moon, Varuṇa (water), Earth, and Agni (fire) offer worship; whose divine feet are ritually washed with Soma; and who embodies the entire creation in his very form.
The one whose crest is adorned by the moon (chandraSEkhara), protect me!
Commentary:
These verses glorify Lord Chandraśekhara as the all-powerful, all-loving presence who sustains both the universe and the hearts of his devotees. He is bhaktavatsala, tender-hearted toward those who worship him, and an eternal treasure of divine grace that never diminishes. Clothed in dazzling splendor, he radiates supreme majesty. As the Lord of all beings, he is beyond even the highest gods, indescribable, and incomparable. The very elements—the Moon, Varuṇa (representing rain and water), Earth, and Fire—honor him with offerings, and the sacred Soma nectar is poured at his feet, a gesture reserved only for the most exalted. His form encompasses all of creation—he is the source, the substance, and the soul of the cosmos. In invoking him again and again—"Chandraśekhara, protect me!"— മാര്കംഡേയ seeks shelter in the one who is both the cosmic ruler and the intimate protector, ever ready to uplift, guard, and liberate
വിശ്വസൃഷ്ടി വിധായകം പുനരേവപാലന തത്പരം
സംഹരം തമപി പ്രപംച-മശേഷലോക നിവാസിനമ് ।
ക്രീഡയംത മഹര്നിശം ഗണനാഥ യൂഥ സമന്വിതം
ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര ചംദ്രശേഖര രക്ഷമാമ് ॥ 8 ॥
Meaning:
He who creates the universe and is equally devoted to its protection and sustenance.
He is also the destroyer of the universe, which includes all worlds and beings within creation.
He plays joyfully day and night, always surrounded by the hosts of Ganas (divine attendants led by Ganesha).
O Chandraśekhara, the moon-crested Lord, please Protect me!
Commentary:
This verse presents Lord Chandraśekhara as the eternal force behind creation, preservation, and destruction. He is the architect of the universe (വിശ്വസൃഷ്ടി വിധായകം), the one who brings existence into being. Yet he does not stop there—he is also deeply committed to its protection (പാലന തത്പരം), watching over the cosmos with compassion and vigilance. When the time comes, he becomes the fearless destroyer (സംഹരം തം), dissolving all of creation—including every world and realm—into himself. Thus, he is not just a god of one function, but the entire cycle of creation, sustenance, and dissolution personified.
Amidst this cosmic grandeur, Shiva remains ever-playful—kṛīḍayantaṁ aharniśaṁ—engaged in divine play, surrounded by his loyal Gaṇas (spiritual attendants) and led by Gaṇanātha (Lord Ganesha). This shows that while he holds infinite power, he is also intimate, joyful, and accessible to his devotees
മൃത്യുഭീത മൃകംഡുസൂനുകൃതസ്തവം ശിവസന്നിധൌ
യത്ര കുത്ര ച യഃ പഠേന്ന ഹി തസ്യ മൃത്യുഭയം ഭവേത് ।
പൂര്ണമായുരരോഗതാമഖിലാര്ഥസംപദമാദരം
ചംദ്രശേഖര ഏവ തസ്യ ദദാതി മുക്തിമയത്നതഃ ॥ 9 ॥
Meaning:
This hymn was composed by Mārkaṇḍeya, the son of Mṛkaṇḍu, out of fear of death, in the presence of Lord Shiva.
Whoever chants this hymn anywhere, will never have fear of untimely death.
They will receive full lifespan, good health, all kinds of wealth and prosperity, and respect.
And Chandraśekhara (Shiva) himself will effortlessly grant liberation (moksha) to such a person.
Commentary:
This verse describes the ഫലശൃതി which highlights the power and grace of Lord ചംദ്രശേഖര and the benefits of chanting this stotram.
It was composed by Sage Mārkaṇḍeya, an ardent devotee of Shiva, who offered this hymn at Lord Shiva’s feet in deep devotion.
The verse assures that anyone who sincerely recites it—wherever they may be—will be freed from the fear of death.
Not only that, but they will be blessed with long life, good health, prosperity, respect, and ultimately, liberation (moksha) — all granted by Chandraśekhara effortlessly.
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