Lasing on the sodium resonance transitions (D_1 and D_2 lines) at the superluminosity regime was observed upon the non-resonance excitation in the presence of a buffer gas. Dependences of the lasing intensity on the pump radiation intensity and its frequency detuning from the frequencies of resonance transitions were examined. It was found that under the specific experimental conditions (high buffer gas pressure, sufficiently high intensity of pump radiation) upon the large positive frequency detuning of pump radiation with respect to the frequency of resonance ("working") transition, contrary to ingrained conceptions, population inversion for the "working" transition is raised. That results in the observed phenomena.
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