Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 23: Khara Disregards Evil Omens on the Way
Text 3.23.1

तस्मिन्याते जनस्थानादशिवं शोणितोदकम्।
अभ्यवर्षन्महामेघस्तुमुलो गर्दभारुणः॥

tasmin yāte janasthānād aśivaṁ śoṇitodakam
abhyavarṣan mahā-meghas tumulo gardabhāruṇaḥ

tasmin = when he; yāte = departed; janasthānāt = from Janasthāna; aśivam = an inauspicious; śoṇita-udakam = blood-red rain; abhyavarṣat = showered; mahā-meghaḥ = and large cloud; tumulaḥ = a thick; gardabha-aruṇaḥ = as grey as a donkey.

When he departed from Janasthāna, a thick and large cloud as grey as a donkey showered an inauspicious, blood-red rain.

This chapter describes the signs of inauspiciousness experienced by Khara while departing for war.1

1 The Vedas thus provide us with hints regarding actions that we desire to perform. The scriptures inform us whether our desired course of action is auspicious or inauspicious. Learned and intelligent students of the scriptures thus get the opportunity to avoid having to suffer due to hasty decisions.