वैशम्पायन उवाच निदाघान्तकरः कालः सर्वभूतसुखावहः। तत्रैव वसतां तेषां प्रावृट् समभिपद्यत॥
Vaishampayana said: While they (the Pandavas) were living there, the rainy season, which puts an end to summer and is agreeable to all creatures, made its appearance.
छादयन्तो महाघोषाः खं दिशश्च बलाहकाः। प्रववर्षुर्दिवारात्रमसिताः सततं तदा॥ तापत्ययनिकेताश्च शतशोऽथ सहाशः। अपेतार्कप्रभाजालाः सविद्युद्विमलप्रभाः॥
Then, hundreds and thousands of sable clouds covering the entire) firmament and the cardinal points, emitting thundering roars and looking like (so many) awnings in the rainy season, incessantly poured down showers night and day. The effulgence of the sun disappeared from the earth; and its place was filled by the stainless splendour of lightning.
विरूढशष्याधरणी मत्तदंशसरीसृपा। बभूव पयसा सिक्ता शान्ता सर्वमनोरमा॥
And the earth, over grown with grass teeming with gnats and reptiles, maddened with joy and saturated with water, looked serene and became delightful to all.
न स्म प्रज्ञायते किंचिदम्भसा समवस्तृते। समं वा विषमं वापि नद्यो वा स्थावराणि च॥
When the (surface of the earth was flooded with water it could not be discerned whether the ground was even or uneven or whether there were rivers, ground.
क्षुब्धतोया महावेगाः श्वसमाना इवाशुगाः। सिन्धवः शोभयांचक्रुः काननानि तपात्यये॥
At the close of summer, the streams full of agitated waters and careering violently with a hissing noise like (flight of) arrows, lent a grace to the woods.
नदतां काननान्तेषु श्रूयन्ते विविधाः स्वनाः। वृष्टिभिश्च्छाद्यमानानां वराहमृगपक्षिणाम्॥
The boars, the stage and the birds, drenched in water began to utter various sounds that could be heard in the forests.
स्तोकका: शिखिनश्चैव पुंस्कोकिलगणैः सह। मत्ताः परिपतन्ति स्म दर्दुराश्चैव दर्पिताः॥
The Chatakas, .the peacocks, the male kokilas and the excited frogs all intoxicated (with joy) began to frolic about.
तथा बहुविधाकारा प्रावृण्मेघानुनादिता। अभ्यतीता शिवा तेषां चरतां मरुधन्वसु॥
Thus, while the Pandavas were wandering about in dry sandy tracts at the neighbourhood of mountains the delightful rainy season so various in aspect and resounding with (the roar of) the clouds passed away.
क्रौञ्चहंससमाकीर्णा शरत् प्रमुदिताभवत्। रूढकक्षवनप्रस्था प्रसन्नजलनिम्नगा।॥
Then came autumn, crowded with ganders and cranes, when the forest tracts were over grown with verdure and the streams became clear.
विमलाकाशनक्षत्रा शरत् तेषां शिवाभवत्। मृगद्विजसमाकीर्णा पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्॥
The sky and the stars shone with a stainless lustre and the country was swarmed with beasts and birds. This season of autumn became auspicious to the high-souled sons of Pandu.
दृश्यन्ते शान्तरजसः क्षपा जलदशीतलाः। ग्रहनक्षत्रसङ्घश्च सोमेन च विराजिताः॥
(Then) the nights free from dust and cool with clouds were adorned with numerous stars, planets and the moon.
कुमुदैः पुण्डरीकैश्च शीतवारिधराः शिवाः। नदीः पुष्करिणीश्चैव ददृशुः समलंकृताः॥
And (the Pandavas) beheld the rivers and the tanks, full of cool water and beautified with lilies and lotuses and pleasant (to the eye)
आकाशनीकाशतटां तीरवानीरसंकुलाम्। बभूव चरतां हर्षः पुण्यतीर्थां सरस्वतीम्॥
And they experienced a great delight in wandering along the sacred Sarasvati whose banks resemble the firmament and are covered with canes.
ते वै मुमुदिरे वीराः प्रसन्नसलिलां शिवाम्। पश्यन्तो दृढधन्वानः परिपूर्णां सरस्वतीम्॥
And those wielders of strong bows were highly glad at seeing the auspicious Sarasvati full of limpid water.
तेषां पुण्यतमा रात्रिः पर्वसंधौ स्म शारदी। तत्रैव वसतामासीत् कार्तिकी जनमेजय॥
O Janamejaya, while dwelling there they passed the most sacred night of the full moon in the month of Kartika.
पुण्यकृद्भिर्महासत्त्वैस्तापसैः सह पाण्डवाः। तत् सर्वे भरतश्रेष्ठाः समूहुर्योगमुत्तमम्॥
And in company with the righteous and high-souled ascetics, the Pandavas, the best of the Bharatas, spent that juncture in excellent devotion.
तमिगाभ्युदये तस्मिन्धौम्येन सह पाण्डवाः। सूतैः पौरोगवैश्चैव काम्यकं प्रययुर्वनम्॥
And when the dark fort-night set in immediately after, the sons of Pandu together with Dharma and their charioteers and cooks proceeded to the forest of Kamyaka.