Chandra Shekharshtakam
By
Sage Markandeya
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander
(Sage Markandeya was saved by Lord Shiva of certain death at
the age of 16 by killing the God of death. This stotra is supposed to have been
sung by the sage after that.)
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?
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?
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
And so what can God
of death do to me?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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
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.