Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 28: Rāma Refuses to Accept Her Request
Text 2.28.11
सुप्यते पर्णशय्यासु स्वयं भग्नासु भूतले।
रात्रिषु श्रमखिन्नेन तस्माद्दुःखतरं वनम्॥
supyate parṇa-śayyāsu svayaṁ bhagnāsu bhū-tale
rātriṣu śrama-khinnena tasmād duḥkhataraṁ vanam
supyate = a forest dweller sleeps; parṇa-śayyāsu = on beds of leaves; svayam = by themselves; bhagnāsu = which have withered and fallen off the trees; bhū-tale = on the ground; rātriṣu = at night; śrama-khinnena = when one is exhausted by fatigue; tasmāt = therefore; duḥkhataram = is more miserable; vanam = a forest.
A forest dweller sleeps on beds of leaves, which have withered and fallen off the trees by themselves, on the ground at night when one is exhausted by fatigue. Therefore, a forest is more miserable.
“One sleeps on a bed of leaves on the ground” indicates that one cannot sleep on a soft cushioned bed. And the leaves have to be those which have withered and fallen off the trees by themselves. And one can sleep only at night, not during the day, exhausted by the fatigue of having procured fruits, roots and so on. Lord Rāma implies here that they would also have to sleep under these conditions.