Kubera is stated to be the king of Alakaa puri. He got this abode from Shiva after Raavana snatched Lankaa from him. Words Lankaa and Alakaa both are derived from the same root lak which is used in the sense of taste, laksha – in the sense of proper seeing and thinking, lakha – going/knowledge . One one side is the word luck in English and on the other side is the word Alakaa. In Hindi language at least, the words Alakha Niranjana and to awaken alakha are still prevalent. The glossary of Vedic words( Upanishada section) page 98 rightly explains word Alaka as Alaksha. Alaksha is the state in yoga when the sight is controlled, opening and closing of the eyes are gone. Puraanas mention the presence of Ganges named Alakanandaa around the abode Alakaa. Only on attaining the state of Alaka come the state of nanda or divine bliss/joy.
There is a universal mantra of Rigveda 10.71.6 which states that whosoever hears eem(a name of a special form of Agni/fire according to Dr. Fatah Singh), he is able to hear Alaka. He does not know the path of sukrita/good deeds. Saayana interprets it as void. But this does not explain the mantra properly. Puraanic texts state that when Kubera stared at goddess Paarvati with his left eye, then the goddess destroyed his left eye. Then he started staring with his right eye. Then lord Shiva told Paarvati that Kubera is watching the beauty of her mother, not staring. Then he became the son of Paarvati. It seems that this anecdote is the hidden explanation of the above mantra of Rigveda. The sphere of hearing eem falls under Alakaa. Above that, hearing uum, fall under the perview of Umaa/Paarvati.
अलका
टिप्पणी : कुबेर पहले लङ्का का राजा था । रावण द्वारा लङ्का पुरी छीन लिए जाने पर उसे शिव से अलकापुरी प्राप्त हुई । लङ्का और अलका, दोनों शब्द एक ही धातु से बने हैं । यह धातु लक( आस्वादने), लक्ष( दर्शने तथा विचारणे ), लख( गमने) में से एक हो सकती है । एक ओर लक( अंग्रvजी भाषा का लक - भाग्य ) है तो दूसरी ओर अलका है । हिन्दी भाषा में आज भी अलख निरञ्जन और अलख जगाना आदि शब्द प्रचलित हैं । वैदिक पदानुक्रम कोश उपनिषद भाग पृष्ठ ९८ पर टिप्पणी में अलक की व्याख्या अलक्ष ठीक ही की गई है । योग में जब दृष्टि बंध जाती है, निमेष - उन्मेष समाप्त हो जाते हैं, तब अलक्ष या अलख स्थिति होती है । अलकापुरी के चारों ओर