Chandrashekhara

With the hands in abhaya (protecting) and varada (boon giving) postures, with a pleasing and decorated expression, a blossomed face and eye, with the shadow created by the moon on the crown, with an upright body, and feet in the same level, Coral like formed, holding the deer and ax, (He) stay in the lotus pedestal. (of my heart)

Chandrashekhara : moon ornamented Lord

daksha had twenty-seven stars as daughters. All of them were married to moon. But the moon had special attraction towards Rohini. So all the other wives complained it to the father daksha that their husband moon is not treating them fairly. daksha got angry and cursed the moon to lose its luminance (kala) day by day. Every day the moon started losing one luminance part (kala) out of his 16 parts. The afraid and ashamed moon disappeared into the ocean. There are many herbs that require the light of the moon to grow. Without moon, they were harmed. Consequently, there was suffering in the world. To end the problem the celestials advised moon to take refuge in the Great Divine, Lord shiva. Left with only one kalA, he took refuge in Lord Shiva. Being the graceful Almighty, He wore the moon crescent on His head, making him grow for 15 days and decay for 15 days periodically.

Chandrashekharashtakam

chandrashekhara chandrashekhara chandrashekhara pAhimAm.h |

chandrashekhara chandrashekhara chandrashekhara rakshamAm.h || 1||

ratnasAnusharAsanaM rajatAdishR^iN^ganiketanaM

siJNjinIkR^itapannageshvaramachyutAnanasAyakam.h |

kshipradaghapuratrayaM tridivAlayaibhivanditaM

chandrashekharamAshraye mama kiM karishhyati vai yamaH || 2||

paJNchapAdapapushhpagandhapadAmbujadUyashobhitaM

bhAlalochanajAtapAvakadagdhamanmathavigraha.m |

bhasmadigdhakalevaraM bhavanAshanaM bhavamavyayaM

chandrashekhara chandrashekhara chandrashekhara rakshamAm.h || 3||

mattvAraNamukhyacharmakR^itottarImanoharaM

paN^kajAsanapadmalochanapujitAN^ghrisaroruham.h |

devasindhutaraN^gasIkara siktashubhrajaTAdharaM

chandrashekhara chandrashekhara chandrashekhara rakshamAm.h || 4||

yaksharAjasakhaM bhagAkshaharaM bhujaN^gavibhUshhaNaM

shailarAjasutA parishhkR^ita chAruvAmakalevaram.h |

kshveDanIlagalaM parashvadhadhAriNaM mR^igadhAriNaM

chandrashekhara chandrashekhara chandrashekhara rakshamAm.h || 5||

kuNDalIkR^itakuNDaleshvarakuNDalaM vR^ishhavAhanaM

nAradAdimunIshvarastutavaibhavaM bhuvaneshvaram.h |

andhakAndhakAmA shritA marapAdapaM shamanAntakaM

chandrashekhara chandrashekhara chandrashekhara rakshamAm.h || 6||

bhashhajaM bhavarogiNAmakhilApadAmapahAriNaM

dakshayaGYarvinAshanaM triguNAtmakaM trivilochanam.h |

bhuktimuktaphalapradaM sakalAghasaN^ghanivarhanaM

chandrashekhara chandrashekhara chandrashekhara rakshamAm.h || 7||

bhakta vatsalamachiJNtaM nidhimakshayaM haridamvaraM

sarvabhUtapatiM parAtpara prameyamanuttamam.h |

somavArija bhUhutAshanasomapAnilakhAkR^itiM

chandrashekhara chandrashekhara chandrashekhara rakshamAm.h || 8||

vishvasR^ishhTividhAlinaM punareva pAlanatatparaM

sa.nharantamapi prapaJNchama sheshhalokanivAsinam.h |

kriDayantamaharnishaM gaNanAthayUtha samanvitaM

chandrashekhara chandrashekara chandrashekara rakshamAm.h || 9||

mR^ityubhItamR^ikaNDasUnukR^itastava shiva sannidhau

yatra kutra cha paThennahi tasya mR^ityubhayaM bhavet.h |

pUrNamAyurarogitAmakhilAtha sampadamAdaraM

chandrashekhara eva tasya dadAti muktimayatnataH || 10||

||| iti chandrashekharAshhTakam.h||