Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 93: Bharata Initiates a Search for Rāma’s Residence
Text 2.93.5
तुरङ्गौघैरवतता वारणैश्च महाजवैः।
अनालक्ष्या चिरं कालं तस्मिन्काले बभूव भूः॥
turaṅgaughair avatatā vāraṇaiś ca mahā-javaiḥ
anālakṣyā ciraṁ kālaṁ tasmin kāle babhūva bhūḥ
turaṅga-aughaiḥ = horses; avatatā = completely covered over; vāraṇaiḥ = elephants; ca = and; mahā-javaiḥ = by extremely fast; anālakṣyā = invisible; ciram kālam = for a long time; tasmin kāle = when [the army] proceeded on; babhūva = became; bhūḥ = the earth.
Completely covered over by extremely fast horses and elephants, the earth became invisible for a long time when [the army] proceeded on.
“For a long time” indicates that at some point in time the earth became visible.