मुचुकुन्दं समाश्रित्य देवास्ते जयिनोऽभवन् । पुनः पुनर्विकुर्वाणा देवास्ते तारकेण हि
mucukundaṃ samāśritya devāste jayino'bhavan | punaḥ punarvikurvāṇā devāste tārakeṇa hi
Dengan berlindung pada Raja Mucukunda, para dewa menjadi pemenang. Namun berulang kali juga para dewa itu digoncangkan dan dikacaukan—sesungguhnya kerana Tāraka.
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)
Listener: Audience/interlocutor (implied)
Scene: Devas gather behind King Mucukunda like a protective pillar; they surge to victory, but the scene repeats with Tāraka’s counterattacks—waves of battle showing cyclical turmoil.
Even divine powers seek śaraṇāgati (refuge) and must act with wise support; victory without dharmic stability can be shaken again by adharma.
The broader context is Kedāra (Kedārakṣetra) in the Kedārakhaṇḍa, though this verse itself focuses on the devas’ crisis rather than a direct tīrtha description.
None is stated in this verse.