03.143
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
ते शूरास्ततधन्वानस्तूणवन्तः समार्गणाः। बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्राणाः खद्गवन्तोऽमितौजसः ॥०३-१४३-१॥
They were valiant, bearing stretched bows, equipped with quivers and arrows, with lizard-skin finger-guards fastened, carrying swords, and possessing immeasurable energy. (03-143-1)
परिगृह्य द्विजश्रेष्ठाञ्श्रेष्ठाः सर्वधनुष्मताम्। पाञ्चालीसहिता राजन्प्रययुर्गन्धमादनम् ॥०३-१४३-२॥
O King, the best among all bowmen, having taken along the foremost brāhmaṇas and accompanied by Pāñcālī, set out for Gandhamādana. (03-143-2)
सरांसि सरितश्चैव पर्वतांश्च वनानि च। वृक्षांश्च बहुलच्छायान्ददृशुर्गिरिमूर्धनि ॥ नित्यपुष्पफलान्देशान्देवर्षिगणसेवितान् ॥०३-१४३-३॥
They saw lakes, rivers, mountains, forests, and trees with abundant shade on the mountain summit; regions always abounding in flowers and fruits, frequented by hosts of divine sages. (03-143-3)
आत्मन्यात्मानमाधाय वीरा मूलफलाशनाः। चेरुरुच्चावचाकारान्देशान्विषमसङ्कटान् ॥ पश्यन्तो मृगजातानि बहूनि विविधानि च ॥०३-१४३-४॥
The heroes, sustaining themselves through meditation, eating roots and fruits, wandered through difficult and dangerous lands of various terrains, observing many and diverse species of animals. (3-143-4)
ऋषिसिद्धामरयुतं गन्धर्वाप्सरसां प्रियम्। विविशुस्ते महात्मानः किंनराचरितं गिरिम् ॥०३-१४३-५॥
Those great souls entered the mountain, frequented by kinnaras, dear to gandharvas and apsarases, and joined by sages, siddhas, and gods. (03-143-5)
प्रविशत्स्वथ वीरेषु पर्वतं गन्धमादनम्। चण्डवातं महद्वर्षं प्रादुरासीद्विशां पते ॥०३-१४३-६॥
O lord of men, as the heroes entered the mountain Gandhamādana, a great rain accompanied by a fierce wind arose. (03-143-6)
ततो रेणुः समुद्भूतः सपत्रबहुलो महान्। पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षं च द्यां चैव तमसावृणोत् ॥०३-१४३-७॥
Then, a great dust, thick with much foliage, arose and covered the earth, the sky, and even heaven with darkness. (03-143-7)
न स्म प्रज्ञायते किञ्चिदावृते व्योम्नि रेणुना। न चापि शेकुस्ते कर्तुमन्योन्यस्याभिभाषणम् ॥०३-१४३-८॥
Nothing at all was visible as the sky was covered with dust, and they were not even able to speak to one another. (03-143-8)
न चापश्यन्त तेऽन्योन्यं तमसा हतचक्षुषः। आकृष्यमाणा वातेन साश्मचूर्णेन भारत ॥०३-१४३-९॥
They could not see one another, their vision destroyed by darkness, as they were swept along by the wind carrying stone-dust, O Bhārata. (03-143-9)
द्रुमाणां वातभग्नानां पततां भूतले भृशम्। अन्येषां च महीजानां शब्दः समभवन्महान् ॥०३-१४३-१०॥
A great sound arose from the trees broken by the wind, falling violently on the earth, and from other earth-born things. (03-143-10)
द्यौः स्वित्पतति किं भूमौ दीर्यन्ते पर्वता नु किम्। इति ते मेनिरे सर्वे पवनेन विमोहिताः ॥०३-१४३-११॥
"Is the sky indeed falling? Are the mountains splitting upon the earth?"—Thus all of them thought, deluded by the wind. (03-143-11)
ते यथानन्तरान्वृक्षान्वल्मीकान्विषमाणि च। पाणिभिः परिमार्गन्तो भीता वायोर्निलिल्यिरे ॥०३-१४३-१२॥
They, afraid of the wind, searched all around the nearest trees, anthills, and uneven places with their hands and hid themselves. (03-143-12)
ततः कार्मुकमुद्यम्य भीमसेनो महाबलः। कृष्णामादाय सङ्गत्या तस्थावाश्रित्य पादपम् ॥०३-१४३-१३॥
Then the mighty Bhīmasena, raising his bow, took Kṛṣṇā with him and, joining her, stood resorting to a tree. (03-143-13)
धर्मराजश्च धौम्यश्च निलिल्याते महावने। अग्निहोत्राण्युपादाय सहदेवस्तु पर्वते ॥०३-१४३-१४॥
Dharma-king and Dhaumya hid themselves in the great forest, while Sahadeva, having taken the Agnihotra fires, hid on the mountain. (03-143-14)
नकुलो ब्राह्मणाश्चान्ये लोमशश्च महातपाः। वृक्षानासाद्य सन्त्रस्तास्तत्र तत्र निलिल्यिरे ॥०३-१४३-१५॥
Nakul, the Brāhmaṇas and others, as well as Lomaśa, the great ascetic, approached the trees and, terrified, hid themselves here and there. (03-143-15)
मन्दीभूते च पवने तस्मिन्रजसि शाम्यति। महद्भिः पृषतैस्तूर्णं वर्षमभ्याजगाम ह ॥०३-१४३-१६॥
As the wind slowed, the dust (in the air) settled, and the rain with large drops quickly arrived. (03-143-16)
ततोऽश्मसहिता धाराः संवृण्वन्त्यः समन्ततः। प्रपेतुरनिशं तत्र शीघ्रवातसमीरिताः ॥०३-१४३-१७॥
Then, streams mixed with stones, covering everything on all sides, fell continuously there, driven by a swift wind. (03-143-17)
ततः सागरगा आपः कीर्यमाणाः समन्ततः। प्रादुरासन्सकलुसाः फेनवत्यो विशां पते ॥०३-१४३-१८॥
Then, O lord of men, the waters flowing toward the ocean, scattered in all directions, appeared frothy and filled with foam. (03-143-18)
वहन्त्यो वारि बहुलं फेनोडुपपरिप्लुतम्। परिसस्रुर्महाशब्दाः प्रकर्षन्त्यो महीरुहान् ॥०३-१४३-१९॥
They carried abundant water covered with foam and bubbles, rushed forth with a great roar, dragging trees along with them. (03-143-19)
तस्मिन्नुपरते वर्षे वाते च समतां गते। गते ह्यम्भसि निम्नानि प्रादुर्भूते दिवाकरे ॥०३-१४३-२०॥
At that time, when the rain and wind had stopped and calmness set in, as the water receded, the sun arose and the low-lying areas became visible. (03-143-20)
निर्जग्मुस्ते शनैः सर्वे समाजग्मुश्च भारत। प्रतस्थुश्च पुनर्वीराः पर्वतं गन्धमादनम् ॥०३-१४३-२१॥
All of them departed slowly; they came together, O Bhārata, and the heroes again set forth towards Mount Gandhamādana. (03-143-21)
