Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 1.26

1.26.1

एवं स्तुतस्तदा कद्र्वा भगवान्हरिवाहनः ।
नीलजीमूतसंघातैः सर्वमम्बरमावृणोत् ॥ १.२६.१ ॥

Thus praised by Kadrū, the lord whose vehicle is Hari, then covered the entire sky with masses of dark-blue clouds.

मेघानाज्ञापयामास वर्षध्वममृतं शुभम् ।
ते मेघा मुमुचुस्तोयं प्रभूतं विद्युदुज्ज्वलाः ॥ १.२६.२ ॥

He commanded the clouds, "Rain down the auspicious nectar." And those clouds, shining with lightning, released abundant water.

परस्परमिवात्यर्थं गर्जन्तः सततं दिवि ।
संवर्तितमिवाकाशं जलदैः सुमहाद्भुतैः ॥ १.२६.३ ॥

As if vying with one another, thundering exceedingly and continuously in the sky, the sky was enveloped by those most wondrous clouds.

सृजद्भिरतुलं तोयमजस्रं सुमहारवैः ।
संप्रनृत्तमिवाकाशं धारोर्मिभिरनेकशः ॥ १.२६.४ ॥

Pouring down incomparable water unceasingly with mighty roars, the sky seemed to dance in many ways with streams and waves.

मेघस्तनितनिर्घोषौर्विद्युत्पवनकम्पितैः ।
तैर्मेघैः सततासारं वर्षद्भिरनिशं तदा ॥ १.२६.५ ॥

Those clouds, shaken by lightning and wind, with the roar of thundering, were then pouring down an incessant torrent of rain night and day.

नष्टचन्द्रार्ककिरणमम्बरं समपद्यत ।
नागानामुत्तमो हर्षस्तथा वर्षति वासवे ॥ १.२६.६ ॥

With the rays of moon and sun gone, the sky became so; and while Vāsava (Indra) rained, the supreme joy of the nagas arose.

आपूर्यत मही चापि सलिलेन समन्ततः ।
रसातलमनुप्राप्तं शीतलं विमलं जलम्। ॥ १.२६.७ ॥

The earth too was filled with water on every side, and cool, clear water reached down to the nether world.

तदा भूरभवच्छन्ना जलोर्मिभिरनेकशः ।
रामणीयकमागच्छन्मात्रा सह भुजंगमाः ॥ १.२६.८ ॥

Then the earth was covered in many ways by waves of water, and the serpents came there with their mothers, in beauty.