Ursprünglich der Name eines Zauberspruches, gegeben an einen Asketen, von einem Garuda König, der unbeabsichtigter weise einen Banyan Baum mit den Wurzeln am Ende des Wandelweges des Asketen herausgerissen hatte. Der Asket gab ihn weiter an einen armen Brahmanen von Benares, der sich im Walde versteckte um seinen Gläubigern zu entfliehen und der dem Asketen behilflich war.
Der Brahmane wurde Ālambāyana genannt, nachdem er den Zauberspruch konnte. Having learnt it he left the forest and was walking along the banks of the Yamunā, when he came across a host of Nāgas, sitting, after their sports, round the Nāga gem which grants all desires. The Nāgas, hearing the man repeat the charm, fled in terror, believing him to be the Garuda, and he took possession of their jewel. Soon after, ālambāyana met an outcast brahmin with his son, Somadatta, and on their agreeing to show him the Nāga King, Bhūridatta, he gave them the jewel.
With the help of his spell ālambāyana tamed Bhūridatta and went about giving exhibitions of the Nāga's skill. Bhūridatta was finally rescued by his brother Sudassana and his sister Accimukhī. In the contest of skill which ālambāyana had with Sudassana, Accimukhī assumed the form of a frog and let drip three drops of poison on her brother's hand, and these were allowed to fall into a hole specially prepared and filled with cow-dung. A flame burst out and ālambāyana was smitten with the heat. His skin changed colour and he became a white leper.
The story is told in the Bhūridatta Jātaka (J.vi.179-97).
The name ālambāyana appears also as ālambāna and as ālamba.