Shloka 3.11.52
पञ्चाप्सरो-सरः कथनम् तथा अगस्त्याश्रममार्गनिर्देशः (Panchapsara Lake Account and Directions to Agastya)
एतच्च वनमध्यस्थं कृष्णाभ्रशिखरोपमम्।।।।पावकस्याश्रमस्थस्य धूमाग्रं सम्प्रदृश्यते।
etac ca vanamadhyasthaṃ kṛṣṇābhra-śikharopamam ||
pāvakasyāśrama-sthasya dhūmāgraṃ sampradṛśyate |
And there—standing amid the forest—one can clearly see the crest of smoke rising from the hermitage fire, like the peak of a dark cloud.
In the middle of the forest can be seen like the tip of the dark clouds columns of smoke coming out of the top of hermitages.
Honor to tapas and sacred duty: the maintained fire signifies continual discipline and ritual responsibility, a dharmic center within the wilderness.
They visually confirm the presence of an ashram by seeing smoke rising from a maintained fire.
Purposeful discernment—identifying a righteous refuge and approaching it properly.