BACKSTORY

In 2018, when I was still in good health, my beloved meditation teacher instructed me to learn the Chandrashekhara Ashtakam — and I did. The hymn had a special significance for me as it was like a bond between us. That’s because, three decades earlier, when I was a teenager, she named me after Chandrashekhara, the One crowned with the Moon.

Two years later, in 2020, I found myself bedridden and isolated from the world in the small woodland hut where I was spending the lockdowns. I couldn’t walk or think clearly, and I didn’t know why. I was struggling with insomnia and with a weakening heart. The parade of seemingly random but worsening symptoms I’d experienced over the past year seemed to be culminating in this: lying in bed, unable to move, as the silence between each heartbeat grew longer, thinking I would not survive the night. Then, I remembered the Chandrashekhara Ashtakam. Slowly, silently, I recited the hymn and, as I did, I drifted off to sleep, feeling as if warm sparks were glittering inside me.

The next morning, I woke up feeling rested. My mind was clearer. I felt empowered to find an explanation for what was happening to me and, after just a few minutes of reflection, a lightbulb went on in my head, and I saw the answer plainly. I now knew what to do: I wrote to a dear friend who is a doctor and told him, “I think I know what’s afflicting me.” My friend prescribed an emergency round of antibiotics and sent me on my way to get tested, which confirmed my self-diagnosis. Unbeknownst to us, our prompt action saved my life. Later, we’d learn that without the antibiotics, an infection that had reached my heart could have taken my life in a matter of days. But I was spared, and thus I began my long journey toward recovering my health.

Ever since, I’ve wanted to record a personal rendition of the Chandrashekhara Ashtakam in honor of those days when a blessed sliver of light led me back to life and toward health. Now, in 2025, after five years in recovery and two years of intermittent production — finally, here it is! I offer it to you all!
 

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LYRICS

The lyrics of “Eight Verses to Dissolve All Fears” are provided below for listeners who wish to read or recite the hymn alongside the recording. (Reciting the Sanskrit words themselves is a powerful experience.)

Unsurprisingly, my listeners also request a translation of the Chandrashekhara Ashtakam. As much as I’d like to provide one, I’ve decided against it. The reason is straightforward: the Chandrashekhara Ashtakam is an ancient, poetic composition, shrouded in mythological and mystical allegories that are not necessarily accessible to the average listener. Hindus will be more attuned to the hymn’s religious references. But, like with any piece of ancient religious poetry, apprehending its meaning requires delving deep into its cultural, iconographic, and philosophical background — an endeavor that exceeds the purpose of the present recitation.

If you wish to learn more about the story and meaning of the Chandrashekhara Ashtakam, click here to read “Found in Translation” in The MOONPHONIC Newsletter.

Having said all that, there are many sources online that offer translations of the Chandrashekhara Ashtakam and you are most welcome to explore them. You may still find in them inspiring poesy that touches your soul.

TRANSLITERATED VERSION  |  DEVANAGARI VERSION

Chandraśekhara Aṣṭakam

Refrain
Chandraśekhara pāhi mām
Chandraśekhara rakṣa mām

Verses 1 and 2
Ratnasānuśarāsanaṁ rajatādriśṛṅganiketanaṁ
Siñjinīkṛtapannageśvaramacyutānanasāyakam
Kṣipradaghapuratrayaṁ tridivālayairabhivanditaṁ
Chandraśekharamāśraye mama kiṁ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ

Pañcapādapapuṣpagandha padāmbujadvayaśobhitaṁ
Bhālalocanajātapāvakadagdhamanmathavigraham
Bhasmadigdhakalevaraṁ bhavanāśanaṁ bhavamavyayaṁ
Chandraśekharamāśraye mama kiṁ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ

Verses 3 and 4
Mattvāraṇamukhyacarmakṛtottarīmanoharaṁ
Paṅkajāsanapadmalocanapujitāṅghrisaroruham
Devasindhutaraṅgasīkara siktaśubhrajaṭādharaṁ
Chandraśekharamāśraye mama kiṁ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ

Yakṣarājasakhaṁ bhagākṣaharaṁ bhujaṅgavibhūṣaṇaṁ
Śailarājasutā pariṣkṛta cāruvāmakalevaram
Kṣveḍanīlagalaṁ paraśvadhadhāriṇaṃ mṛgadhāriṇaṁ
Chandraśekharamāśraye mama kiṁ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ

Verses 5 and 6
Kuṇḍalīkṛtakuṇḍaleśvarakuṇḍalaṁ vṛṣavāhanaṁ
Nāradādimunīśvarastutavaibhavaṁ bhuvaneśvaram
Andhakāndhakāmāśritā marapādapaṁ śamanāntakaṁ
Chandraśekharamāśraye mama kiṁ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ

Bheṣajaṁ bhavarogiṇāmakhilāpadāmapahāriṇaṁ
Dakṣayajñavināśanaṁ triguṇātmakaṁ trivilocanam
Bhuktimuktiphalapradaṁ sakalāghasaṅghanivarhanaṁ
Chandraśekharamāśraye mama kiṁ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ

Verses 7 and 8
Bhakta vatsalamarcitaṁ nidhimakṣayaṁ haridamvaraṁ
Sarvabhūtapatiṁ parātparamaprameyamanuttamam
Somavārinabhohutāśanasomapānilakhākṛtiṁ
Chandraśekharamāśraye mama kiṁ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ

Viśvasṛṣṭividhāyinaṁ punareva pālanatatparaṁ
Saṁharantamapi prapañcamaśeṣalokanivāsinam
Kriḍayantamaharniśaṁ gaṇanāthayūtha samanvitaṁ
Chandraśekharamāśraye mama kiṁ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ

Phalaśruti (Fruits of listening)
Mṛtyubhītamṛkaṇḍasūnukṛtastavaṁ śivasannidhau
Yatra kutra ca yaḥ paṭhenna hi tasya mṛtyubhayaṁ bhavet
Pūrṇamāyurarogitāmakhilārtha sampadamādaraṁ
Chandraśekhara eva tasya dadāti muktimayatnataḥ

DEVANAGARI VERSION  |  TRANSLITERATED VERSION

चन्द्रशेखराष्टकम्

पल्लवी
चन्द्रशेखर पाहि माम् रक्ष माम्

श्लोक १ च २
रत्नसानुशरासनं रजतार्दिशृङ्गनिकेतनं सिञ्जिनीकृतपन्नगेश्वरमच्युताननसायकम् ।
क्षिप्रदग्धपुरत्रयं त्रिदिवालयैरभिवन्दितं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ १ ॥

पञ्चपादपपुष्पगन्धपदाम्बुजद्वयशोभितं भाललोचनजातपावकदग्धमन्मथविग्रहम् ।
भस्मदिग्धकलेवरं भवनाशनं भवमव्ययं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ २ ॥

श्लोक ३ च ४
मत्तवरणमुख्यचर्मकृतोत्तरीयमनोहरं पङ्कजासनपद्मलोचनपूजिताङ्घ्रिसरोरुहम् ।
देवसिन्धुतरङ्गसीकर सिक्तशुभ्रजटाधरं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ३ ॥

यक्षराजसखं भगाक्षहरं भुजङ्गविभूषणं शैलराजसुता परिष्कृत चारुवामकलेवरम् ।
क्ष्वेडनीलगलं परश्वधधारिणं मृगधारिणं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ४ ॥

श्लोक ५ च ६
कुण्डलीकृतकुण्डलेश्वरकुण्डलं वृषवाहनं नारदादिमुनीश्वरस्तुतवैभवं भुवनेश्वरम् ।
अन्धकान्तकमाश्रितामरपादपं शमनान्तकं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ५ ॥

भेषजं भवरोगिणामखिलापदामपहारिणं दक्षयज्ञविनाशनं त्रिगुणात्मकं त्रिविलोचनम् ।
भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदं सकलाघसङ्घनिबर्हनं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ६ ॥

श्लोक ७ च ८
भक्त वत्सलमर्चितं निधिमक्षयं हरिदम्बरं सर्वभूतपतिं परात्परमप्रमेयमनुत्तमम् ।
सोमवारिन-भोहुताशन सोमपानिलखाकृतिं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ७ ॥

विश्वसृष्टिविधायिनं पुनरेव पालनतत्परं संहरन्तमपि प्रपञ्चमशेषलोकनिवासिनम् ।
क्रीडयन्तमहर्निशं गणनाथयूथ समन्वितं चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ ८ ॥

फलश्रुतिः
मृत्युभीतमृकण्डसूनुकृतस्तवं शिवसन्निधौ यत्र कुत्र च यः पठेन्न हि तस्य मृत्युभयं भवेत् ।
पूर्णमायु ररोगितामखिलार्थ सम्पदमादरं चन्द्रशेखर एव तस्य ददाति मुक्तिमयत्नतः

Sanskrit source: https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_shiva/chandra8.html
 

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DEDICATION

To the one who is the grace of my life, whose teachings and example have sustained me through the darkest of nights.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to thank Zoe, without whose love and support, this work would not have been possible;

Hemant, who showed me how to remain joyous and industrious, despite facing grave challenges;

Ida, who, during my recovery, encouraged me to get up and make music;

Alex, who, unbeknownst to him, saved my life;

Vidula and her family, who lovingly accompanied me in my story with the Chandrashekhara Ashtakam from its very beginning, thirty years ago, and who were also present in spirit during the completion of this production.

My fellow life warriors, the chronically ill who struggle in silence and yearn to regain health and the joy of life — we can, and we will!

— Moon
February 2025
 

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PRODUCTION CREDITS

Music by Moon
Lyrics attributed to Maharishi Markandeya

Performed by Moon
Voices and programming, Moon
Bass guitar and programming, Güido Laris

Orchestral arrangement by Moon and Güido Laris

Recording engineers: Aaron Ahmad, Liam Nolan, Paul Norris (Metropolis Studios, London), Chris Hughes (Oscillate Studios, Knutsford), Güido Laris (Akasha Sound Lab, Mexico City)

Artwork by Moon

Produced by Moon, Güido Laris, Zoe Ames, Gene de Paule, Eugenio Paoli
 

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