spreading in
dalliance their gorgeous tails, and were crying in melodious notes. And
some of the peacocks were sporting with their mates on kutaja trees
covered with creepers. And some sat on the boughs of the kutajas,
spreading their gorgeous tails, and looking like crowns worn by the
trees. And in the glades they beheld the graceful sindhuvaras like unto
the darts of Cupid. And on the summits of the mountain, they saw blooming
karnikaras bearing blossoms of a golden hue, appearing like ear-rings of
excellent make. And in the forest they saw blossoming kuruvakas, like
unto the shafts of Cupid, which smiteth one with desire and maketh him
uneasy. And they saw tilakas appearing like unto beauty-spots painted on
the forehead of the forest. And they saw mango trees graced with blossoms
hummed over by black bees, and serving the purpose of Cupid's shafts. And
on the slopes of the mountain there were diverse blossoming trees,
looking lovely, some bearing flowers of a golden hue, and some, of the
hue of the forest-conflagration, and some, red and some sable, and some
green like unto lapises. And besides these, there were ranges of salas
and tamalas and patalas and vakula trees, like unto garlands put on by
the summits of mountain. Thus gradually beholding on the slopes of the
mountain many lakes, looking transparent like crystal, and having swans
of white plumage and resounding with cries of cranes, and filled with
lotuses and lilies, and furnished with waters of delicious feel; and also
beholding fragrant flowers, and luscious fruits, and romantic lakes, and
captivating trees, the Pandavas penetrated into the forest with eyes
expanded with wonder. And (as they proceeded) they were fanned by the
breeze of balmy feel, and perfumed by kamalas and utpalas and kalharas
and pundarikas. Then Yudhishthira pleasantly spake unto Bhima saying,
'Ah! O Bhima, beautiful is this forest of the Gandhamadana. In this
romantic forest there are various heavenly blossoming wild trees and
creepers, bedecked with foliage and fruit, nor are there any trees that
do not flower. On these slopes of the Gandhamadana, all the trees are of
sleek foliage and fruit. And behold how these lotus-lakes with fullblown
lotuses, and ringing with the hum of black bees, are being agitated by
elephants with their mates. Behold another lotus-lake girt with lines of
lotuses, like unto a second Sree in an embodied form wearing garlands.
And in this excellent forest there