Kailasaraana Shiva Chandramouli
Phaneedra maathaa Mukutee Zalaalee
Kaarunya sindhu Bhavadukha Haaree
Thuzaveena Shambho Maja Kona Taaree

Story

Amrutmantan

When the demons and the Gods churned the Ocean, they found fourteen jewels coming out of the sea, one after another. At one stage, there came out a cup full of poison. The poison was so strong, that even a drop of it would have burnt the whole world. Now the problem was how to get rid of it! Where to keep such a deadly thing? Gods and demons approached Lord Vishnu, who was their only supporter. In order to show how mighty Lord Shiva was, Lord Vishnu directed them to him. They all reached the Kailasa mountain, carrying the cup of poison in their hands very

carefully. The Lord was seated in His meditative mood. They all pleaded to Him and explained to Him what they had come for. Lord Shiva smiled and assured them. With one gulp, He swallowed the poison. There it started going down this throat. But Shiva knew that, if the poison got mixed with His blood, then with the contact of His feet to the earth, the whole world would burn to ashes. So he did not allow the poison to go down the throat. He kept it in His throat. The poison scorched Him so much that He tried all remedies to cool the burning effect of the poison.

First, he kept the moon to cool it, but it could not reduce the burning. He then put Ganga upon his matted hair, yet it had no effect. At last, Lord Shiva began to chant ‘Rama Nama’, and at once it cooled the scorching of the poison. That is why Lord has moon on His forehead.