Āḷakamandā untranslated

Āḷakamandā. A city of the gods, mighty, prosperous and full of Devas (DN.ii.147, 170; Mil.2). It was one of the chief cities of Uttarakuru, and a royal residence of Kuvera (DN.iii.201; Cv.xxxix.5). It is probably another name for Alakā.

The name is used as a simile to describe cities of great wealth (e.g., Cv.xxxvii.106; lxxxi.3; Mhv­ṭ.411; Bv­a.55).

In the Cūḷa Vagga (Vin.ii.152) the word is used as an adjective (vihārā āḷakamandā honti) to mean crowded with people, and Buddhaghosa explains it by saying “āḷakamandā ti ekaṅganā manussābhikiṇṇā.”