Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 28: Rāma Refuses to Accept Her Request
Text 2.28.16
उपहारश्च कर्तव्यः कुसुमैः स्वयमाहुतैः।
आर्षेण विधिना वेद्यां बाले दुःखमतो वनम्॥
upahāraś ca kartavyaḥ kusumaiḥ svayam āhutaiḥ
ārṣeṇa vidhinā vedyāṁ bāle duḥkham ato vanam
upahāraḥ ca = an offering 2; kartavyaḥ = should be performed; kusumaiḥ = with flowers; svayam = personally; āhutaiḥ = that one has fetched; ārṣeṇa = stipulated by the sages; vidhinā = and according to the procedures; vedyām = in a sacrificial altar; bāle = my dear girl; duḥkham = is misery; ataḥ = therefore; vanam = a forest.
An offering should be performed in a sacrificial altar with flowers that one has personally fetched and according to the procedures stipulated by the sages. My dear girl, therefore a forest is misery.1
1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhūṣaṇa: vidhinā kalpena.