Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 5: Rāma Meets Sage Śarabhaṅga
Text 3.5.2

कष्टं वनमिदं दुर्गं न च स्मो वनगोचराः।
अभिगच्छामहे शीघ्रं शरभङ्गं तपोधनम्॥

kaṣṭaṁ vanam idaṁ durgaṁ na ca smo vanagocarāḥ
abhigacchāmahe śīghraṁ śarabhaṅgaṁ tapo-dhanam

kaṣṭam = is difficult, thick; vanam = forest; idam = this; durgam = and uneven; na = not; ca = also; smaḥ1 = we are; vanagocarāḥ = forest-dwellers; abhigacchāmahe = let us go; śīghram = quickly; śarabhaṅgam = to Śarabhaṅga; tapaḥ-dhanam = whose wealth is austerity.

This forest is difficult, thick and uneven.1 We are also not forest-dwellers. Let us quickly go to Śarabhaṅga whose wealth is austerity!

Because the forest is uneven, it is not fit for rest.

GLOSS. After speaking this, [Rāghava approached Śarabhaṅga’s āśrama].

1 This reading is in line with Rāmāyaṇa-bhāva-dīpa.

1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhūṣaṇa: kaṣṭaṁ kṛcchraṁ gahanaṁ vā. “kṛcchra-gahanayoḥ kaṣaḥ” ity aniṇniṣṭhā.