Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 114: Ayodhyā’s loss of Splendor
Text 2.114.5
विधूमामिव हेमाभामध्वराग्नेः समुत्थिताम्।
हविरभ्युक्षितां पश्चाच्छिखां विप्रलयं गताम्॥
vidhūmām iva hemābhām adhvarāgneḥ samutthitām
havir-abhyukṣitāṁ paścāc chikhāṁ vipralayaṁ gatām
vidhūmām = the smokeless; iva = Ayodhyā appeared like; hema-ābhām = gold-complexioned; adhvara-agneḥ = of the sacrificial fire; samutthitām = and blazing; haviḥ-abhyukṣitām = because of the offerings of oblations like yoghurt into it; paścāt = later; śikhām = flame; vipralayam = extinguished; gatām = that had become.
Ayodhyā appeared like the smokeless, gold-complexioned and blazing flame of the sacrificial fire that had become extinguished later because of the offerings of oblations like yoghurt into it.
[Ayodhyā has been compared here to] a flame that had been set to blaze for the pravargya ritual.