Original text
चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर पाहि माम् । चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर रक्ष माम् ॥ रत्नसानुशरासनं रजताद्रिशृङ्गनिकेतनं शिञ्जिनीकृतपन्नगेश्वरमच्युतानलसायकम् । क्षिप्रदग्धपुरत्रयं त्रिदशालयैरभिवन्दितं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ १ ॥ पञ्चपादपपुष्पगन्धिपदाम्बुजद्वयशोभितं भाललोचनजातपावकदग्धमन्मथविग्रहम् । भस्मदिग्धकलेवरं भवनाशनं भवमव्ययं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ २ ॥ मत्तवारणमुख्यचर्मकृतोत्तरीयमनोहरं पङ्कजासनपद्मलोचनपूजिताङ्घ्रिसरोरुहम् । देवसिन्धुतरङ्गशीकरसिक्तशीतजटाधरं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ३ ॥ कुण्डलीकृतकुण्डलीश्वरकुण्डलं वृषवाहनं नारदादिमुनीश्वरस्तुतवैभवं भुवनेश्वरम् । अन्धकान्तकमाश्रितामरपादपं शमनान्तकं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ४ ॥ यक्षराजसखं भगाक्षहरं भुजङ्गविभूषणं शैलराजसुतापरिष्कृतचारुवामकलेवरम् । क्ष्वेडनीलगलं परश्वधधारिणं मृगधारिणं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ५ ॥ भेषजं भवरोगिणामखिलापदामपहारिणं दक्षयज्ञविनाशनं त्रिगुणात्मकं त्रिविलोचनम् । भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदं सकलाघसङ्घनिबर्हणं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ६ ॥ भक्तवत्सलमर्चितं निधिमक्षयं हरिदम्बरं सर्वभूतपतिं परात्परमप्रमेयमनामयम् । सोमवारिदभूहुताशनसोमपानिलखाकृतिं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ७ ॥ विश्वसृष्टिविधायिनं पुनरेव पालनतत्परं संहरन्तमथ प्रपञ्चमशेषलोकनिवासिनम् । क्रीडयन्तमहर्निशं गणनाथयूथसमाकुलं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ८ ॥ ॥ फलश्रुतिः ॥ मृत्युभीतमृकण्डसूनुकृतस्तवं शिवसन्निधौ यत्र कुत्र च यः पठेन्न हि तस्य मृत्युभयं भवेत् । दीर्घमायुररोगितामखिलार्थसम्पदमादरात् चन्द्रशेखर एव तस्य ददाति मुक्तिमयत्नतः ॥ ॥ इति श्रीशिवरहस्यान्तर्गते मार्कण्डेयकृतं श्रीचन्द्रशेखराष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ॥
Transliteration
Chandrashekhara chandrashekhara chandrashekhara pahi mam Chandrashekhara chandrashekhara chandrashekhara raksha mam || Ratnasanusharasanam rajatadrishringaniketanam Shinjinikritapannageshvaramachyutanalasayakam Kshipradagdhapuratrayam tridashalayairabhivanditam Chandrashekharamashraye mama kim karishyati vai yamah ||1|| Panchapadapapushpagandhipadambujadvayashobhitam Bhalalochanajatapavakadagdhamanmathavigraham Bhasmadigdhakalevaram bhavanashanam bhavamavyayam Chandrashekharamashraye mama kim karishyati vai yamah ||2|| Mattavaranamukhyacharmakritottariyamanoharam Pankajasanapadmalochanapujitanghrisaroruham Devasindhutarangashikarasiktashitajatadharam Chandrashekharamashraye mama kim karishyati vai yamah ||3|| Kundalikritakundalishvarakundalam vrishavahanam Naradadimunishvarastutavaibhavam bhuvaneshvaram Andhakantakamashritamarapadapam shamanantakam Chandrashekharamashraye mama kim karishyati vai yamah ||4|| Yaksharajasakham bhagakshaharam bhujangavibhushanam Shailarajasutaparishkritacharuvamakalevaram Kshvedanilagalam parashvadhadharinam mrigadharinam Chandrashekharamashraye mama kim karishyati vai yamah ||5|| Bheshajam bhavaroginamakhilapadamapaharinam Dakshayajnavinashanam trigunatmakam trivilochanam Bhuktimuktiphalapradam sakalaghasanghanibarhanam Chandrashekharamashraye mama kim karishyati vai yamah ||6|| Bhaktavatsalamarchitam nidhimakshayam haridambaram Sarvabhutapatim paratparamaprameyamanamayam Somavaridabhuhutashanasomapanilakhakritim Chandrashekharamashraye mama kim karishyati vai yamah ||7|| Vishvasrishtividhayinam punareva palanatatparam Sanharantamatha prapanchamasheshalokanivasinam Kridayantamaharnisham gananathayuthasamakulam Chandrashekharamashraye mama kim karishyati vai yamah ||8|| Phalashrutih || Mrityubhitamrikandasunukritastavam shivasannidhau Yatra kutra cha yah pathenna hi tasya mrityubhayam bhavet Dirghamayurarogitamakhilarthasampadamadarat Chandrashekhara eva tasya dadati muktimayatnatah || Iti shrishivarahasyantargate markandeyakritam shrichandrashekharashtakam sampurnam ||
The boy who would not die
The sage Mrikandu and his wife were granted a son by Shiva, with a choice: a dull son who would live long, or a brilliant one who would live only sixteen years. They chose brilliance. As Markandeya's sixteenth year ended, Yama came for him. The boy threw his arms around the Shivalinga and sang; Yama threw his noose, and it fell around the linga as well. Shiva burst out of the linga as Kalantaka, the ender of Death, struck Yama down, and blessed Markandeya to remain sixteen for ever.
The Chandrasekhara Ashtakam is the hymn that tradition says he sang. It is preserved in the Shiva Rahasya and is also given in the Padma Purana.
The refrain
It opens with a cry — "Chandrasekhara, Chandrasekhara, Chandrasekhara, protect me (pahi mam); Chandrasekhara... save me (raksha mam)" — and every verse ends with the same defiance: "Chandrasekharam ashraye mama kim karishyati vai Yamah", "I take refuge in Chandrasekhara — what can Yama do to me?" Chandrasekhara is Shiva with the crescent moon on his head.
What the verses describe
- Tripurari: whose bow is the jewelled mountain Meru, whose bowstring is the king of serpents, whose arrow is Vishnu with fire — who burned the three cities in an instant.
- Kamari: whose lotus feet smell of the flowers of the five celestial trees, who burned Kama with the fire of his forehead eye, smeared with ash.
- Gangadhara: wearing an elephant hide, whose feet are worshipped by Brahma and Vishnu, whose matted hair is cooled by spray from the waves of the Ganga.
- Andhakantaka: wearing serpents as earrings, riding the bull, praised by Narada, slayer of Andhaka, the wish-tree of the gods — and shamanantaka, the end of Yama.
- Ardhanarishvara: friend of Kubera, wearing snakes, whose left half is Parvati; blue-throated from the poison, holding the axe and the deer.
- Vaidya: "the medicine for those sick with worldly existence", remover of every calamity, destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice, three-eyed, giver of enjoyment and liberation.
- The eight forms: whose form is the moon, the waters, earth, fire, the sacrificer, wind and sky — an echo of Shiva's ashtamurti, the eight forms in which he pervades the world.
- Creator, preserver, destroyer: who creates, sustains and withdraws the universe, and plays day and night surrounded by his ganas.
The phalashruti: whoever reads this hymn of Mrikandu's son, made in fear of death in Shiva's presence, need never fear death; Chandrasekhara gives long life, health, every wealth — and, effortlessly, liberation.
When to recite it
- Mondays, Pradosh, Mahashivaratri and the month of Shravan.
- On birthdays, during illness, and in any period of fear for one's life or a loved one's — often together with the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra, which shares the same purpose.
Frequently asked questions
Who composed the Chandrasekhara Ashtakam?
The sage Markandeya, according to the Shiva Rahasya, when Yama came to take him at sixteen.
What does "mama kim karishyati vai Yamah" mean?
"What can Yama possibly do to me?" — because the devotee has taken refuge in Shiva.
Is it chanted for protection from untimely death?
Yes. Its phalashruti promises freedom from the fear of death and long, healthy life, which is why it is chanted in illness and danger.
How is it related to the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra?
Both are associated with Shiva's victory over death and with Markandeya's story; many people chant them together.
Which day is best to recite it?
Monday, Pradosh and Mahashivaratri, though it can be recited daily.
Spotted a mistake?
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