chandraskharashtakam

Chandrasekharashtakam
By Sage MarkandeyaTranslated 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 Ganga,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 WindAnd so what can god of death do to me? )

Viswa srushti vidhayinam, punareva palana thathparam,

Sam harathamapi prapanchamasesha loka nivasinam,

Kredayantha maharnisam, 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. 9He 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.