वैशम्पायन उवाच ते शूरास्ततधन्वानस्तूणवन्तः समार्गणाः। बद्धगोधाङ्गलित्राणाः खड्गवन्तोऽमितौजसः॥ परिगृह्य द्विजश्रेष्ठाज्येष्ठाः सर्वधनुष्मताम्। पाञ्चालीसहिता राजन् प्रययुर्गन्धमादनम्॥
Vaishampayana said : O king, then those foremost of bow men, those immeasurably effulgent heroes, equipped with quivers and arrows and armed with swords and holding bows stringed at full and wearing finger protector made of guana-skin, went towards the Gandhamadana, with the Panchal princess and the best of Brahmanas.
सरांसि सरितश्चैव पर्वतांश्च वनानि च। वृक्षांश्च बहुलच्छायान् ददृशुगिरिमूर्धनि॥
On their way they saw many lakes, rivers, mountains, forests with trees of wide spreading shades standing on the summit of the mountains,
नित्यपुष्पफलान् देशान् देवर्षिगणसेवितान्। आत्मन्यात्मानमाधाय वीरा मूलफलाशिनः॥
Places with trees bearing flowers and fruits in all seasons and regions frequented by the as were celestials Rishis. Subduing their souls within their souls and living on fruits and roots,
चेरुरुच्चावचाकारान् देशान् विषमसंकटान्। पश्यन्तो मृगजातानि बहूनि विविधानि च॥
They passed through rugged, craggy and difficult pigeons seeing (on their way) various kinds of animals.
ऋषिसिद्धामरयुतं गन्धर्वाप्सरसां प्रियम्। विविशुस्ते महात्मानः किन्नराचरितं गिरिम्॥
Those high-souled heroes then entered the mountain inhabited by the Rishis, the Siddhas and the immortals and frequented by the Kinnaras which is the favourite pigeon of the Gandharvas and the Apsaras.
प्रविशत्स्वथ वीरेषु पर्वतं गन्धमादनम्। चण्डवातं महद् वर्ष प्रादुरासीत् विशाम्पते।॥
O king, they entering Gandhamadana mountain, a violent wind arose accompanied with heavy shower of rain.
ततो रेणुः समुद्भूतः सपत्रबहुलो महान्। पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षं च द्यां चैव सहसाऽऽवृणोत्॥
Thereupon clouds of dust with innumerable dry leaves rose and suddenly covered the earth, the atmosphere and the sky,
न स्म प्रज्ञायते किंचिदावृते व्योम्नि रेणुना। न चापि शेकुस्तत् कर्तुमन्योन्यस्याभिभाषणम्॥
The sky being covered with dust, nothing could be seen. They (the Pandavas) could not even express their mental feelings to one another by word.
न चापश्यंस्ततोऽन्योन्यं तमसावृतचक्षुषः। आकृष्यमाणा वातेन साश्मचूर्णेन भारत॥
With eyes enveloped in darkness and pushed by the wind full of particles of rocks, they could not see one another.
दुमाणां वातभग्नानां पततां भूतलेऽनिशम्। अन्येषां च महीजानां शब्दः समभवन्महान्॥
There arose great sounds proceeding from the trees and also from those trees that continually broke down blown up by the wind and also from those trees that fell down on the ground.
द्यौः स्वित् पतति किं भूमिर्दीर्यते पर्वतो नु किम्। इति ते मेनिरे सर्वे पवनेनापि मोहिताः॥
distracted by the wind, they thought in their mind, “Is the heaven coming down or is the earth or the mountain being rent asunder?”
ते पथानन्तरान् वृक्षान् वल्मीकान् विषमाणि च। पाणिभिः परिमार्गन्तो भीता वायोर्निलिल्यिरे॥
Being pushed by the wind and being alarmed, they felt their way by their hands and they took shelter under the way-side trees, anthills and caverns.
ततः कार्मुकमादाय भीमसेनो महाबलः। कृष्णामादाय संगम्य तस्थावाश्रित्य पादपम्॥
Then taking hold of his bow and taking also Draupadi (by the hand), the greatly powerful Bhimasena stood underneath a tree.
धर्मराजश्चधौम्यश्च निलिल्याते महावने। अग्निहोत्राण्युपादाय सहदेवस्तु पर्वते॥
Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) and Dhaumya crept into a deep wood. Taking the sacred fire, Sahadeva took shelter under a rock.
नकुलो ब्राह्मणाश्चान्ये लोमशश्च महातपाः। वृक्षानासाद्य संत्रस्तास्तत्र तत्र निलिल्यिरे॥
Nakula with Lomasha and other greatly ascetic Brahinanas stood alarmed, each underneath a tree.
मन्दीभूते तु पवने तस्मिन् रजसि शाम्यति। महद्भिर्जलधारौघैर्वर्षमभ्याजगाम ह॥
When the wind had abated and the dust had subsided, there came down a heavy shower of rain in great torrents.
भृशं चटचटाशब्दो वज्राणां क्षिप्यतामिव। ततस्ताश्चञ्चलाभासश्चेरुरभ्रेषु विद्युतः॥
There arose a great noise (of the rains falling on the mountain-side) like that of the roaring of the thunder. The swift flashing lightning began to play gracefully on the clouds.
ततोऽश्मसहिताधाराः संवृण्वन्त्यः समन्ततः। प्रपेतुरनिशं तत्र शीघ्रवातसमीरिताः॥
Being helped by the swift wind, showers of rain incessantly poured and filled all sides round.
तत्र सागरागा ह्यापः कीर्यमाणाः समन्ततः। प्रादुरासन् सकलुषाः फेनवत्यो विशाम्पते।॥
O king, all around flowed many stream-lets covered with froth and mud.
वहन्त्यो वारि बहुलं फेनोडुपपरिप्लुतम्। परिसस्रुर्महाशब्दाः प्रकर्षन्त्यो महीरुहान्॥
Carrying volumes of water and covered with large quantity of froth, they rushed down with tremendous roars uprooting many trees.
तस्मिन्नुपरते शब्दे वाते च समतां गते। गते ह्यम्भसि निम्नानि प्रादुर्भूते दिवाकरे॥
When the noise had ceased and the wind had abated and the water had subsided and the sun had arisen,
निर्जग्मुस्ते शनैः सर्वे समाजग्मुश्च भारत। प्रतस्थिरे पुनर्वीराः पर्वतं गन्धमादनम्॥
O descendant of Bharata, they cautiously came out and met together. Those heroes then again proceeded towards the Gandhamadana mountain.