Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 12: Agastya Requests Rāma to Protect the Sages
Text 3.12.59
बहून्यब्दसहस्राणि ह्येतदासीदमानुषम्।
गन्धर्वैर्ऋषिसङ्घैश्च देवैश्च परिवर्जितम्॥
bahūny abda-sahasrāṇi hy etad āsīd amānuṣam
gandharvair ṛṣi-saṅghaiś ca devaiś ca parivarjitam
bahūni = for several; abda-sahasrāṇi hi = thousands of years; etat = this [forest]; āsīt = was; amānuṣam = without human beings; gandharvaiḥ = of gandharvas; ṛṣi-saṅghaiḥ = ṛṣis; ca = and; devaiḥ = devas; ca = and; parivarjitam = devoid.
For several thousands of years, this [forest] was without human beings and devoid of gandharvas, ṛṣis and devas.