The son of Sudharmika, the king of Kerala. As per Jaimini Ashwamedhaparva, he had an extra finger on his left leg, a sign of poverty. Enemies of the king killed him as soon as the child was born, and soon the queen too. A palace attendant took the child to Kaundalapuri. In 3 years, she too died and the child became a beggar. A few women began taking care of him. One day, he reached the house of Drishtabudhi. A feast was happening there, and the brahmins there commented that the child would become king one day, and also that he would protect Drishtabudhi’s wealth. But Drishtabudhi, who was a minister, was angered and ordered his servants to kill him. They took him into the forest to kill him, but felt pity on him and cut away his extra finger to show it to Drishtabudhi as proof. As the child was roaming through the forest, the king of Kalinda, who was there on a hunt, spotted him, and took him to the palace.

They named him Chandrahasa and gave him an education. When he was 12, he set out on a war meant to conquer every surrounding kingdom. He returned victorious, and was greeted by the citizens with joy. As per the king’s instructions, he sent a share to the king of Kaundala. It was Drishtabudhi who immediately set out to Kalinda to see Chandrahasa. He learned of Chandrahasa’s past and wanted to kill him. He sent a letter to his son Madana, through Chandrahasa himself, to do the needful. On the way, as he was resting by a stream, Chambakamalini, the princess of Kaundala and her friend Vishaya, daughter of Drishtabudhi, came there. The princess fell in love and seeing the letter near him, read it. She was horrified to learn that the instructions were to kill him. She changed visha (poison) to Vishaya and the letter now meant that Vishaya was to be given to him. Madana was thus happy to receive him, and Vishaya fancied him as her husband too. Chandrahasa married Vishaya, but meanwhile Drishtabudhi had conquered Kalinda and with all the wealth, returned to Kaundalapuri, to learn about the marriage. Drishtabudhi still wanted to kill Chandrahasa and asked the latter to visit a devi temple. He had employed two people to kill Chandrahasa there, but it was Madana who was killed. By this time, the Kaundala king had given his daughter Chambakamalini and his kingdom to Chandrahasa. The king retired to the forest. Drishtabudhi was livid on knowing this, and was further depressed when he found that Madana had been killed. He killed himself by beating his head on the temple floor. Chandrahasa was distressed on hearing this and began a devi sacrifice with his own flesh. The goddess was pleased and gave Drishtabudhi and Madana their lives back. The Kalinda king, fearing further persecution by Drishtabudhi, was preparing to kill himself, with his wife. But Drishtabudhi arrived just in time to give them news of Chandrahasa. Chandrahasa also took over the rule of Kalinda.

He was a competent king and even stopped Yudhishtira’s ashwamedha horse. On Krishna’s advice, Arjuna made peace with him. Chandrahasa had a son named Makaraksha with Vishaya and Padmaksha with Chambakamalini.