Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 28: Rāma Refuses to Accept Her Request
Text 2.28.20
नदीनिलयनाः सर्पा नदीकुटिलगामिनः।
तिष्ठन्त्यावृत्य पन्थानं ततो दुःखतरं वनम्॥
nadī-nilayanāḥ sarpā nadī-kuṭilagāminaḥ
tiṣṭhanty āvṛtya panthānaṁ tato duḥkhataraṁ vanam
nadī-nilayanāḥ = residing in the rivers; sarpāḥ = serpents; nadī-kuṭilagāminaḥ = move crookedly like rivers; tiṣṭhanti āvṛtya = and cover; panthānam = the pathways; tataḥ = so; duḥkhataram = is a greater misery; vanam = a forest.
Serpents residing in the rivers move crookedly like rivers and cover the pathways. So, a forest is a greater misery.