masculine & neuter
(mano-group), dust; dirt; pollen; defilement; impurity
Rajo (rajas) and Raja (neuter) [raj, see rajati and rañjati. Vedic rajaḥ meaning: (a) space, as region of mist and cloud, similar to antarīkṣa, (b) a kind of (shiny) metal (cf. rajata); see Zimmer, Altind. Leben 55]. A. Forms. Both rajo and rajaṃ occur as nominitive and accusative singular, e.g. rajo at D II 19; Snp 207, 334; Dhs 617; rajaṃ at Snp 275; It 83; once (in verse) rajo occurs as m, viz. Snp 662. The other cases are formed from the a-stem only, e.g. rajassa Snp 406; plural rajāni Snp 517, 974. In compounds we find both forms, viz. (1) rajas either in visarga form rajaḥ, as (a) rajo-, (b) raja and (c) rajā° (stressed), or in s-form (d) rajas-; (2) raja-, appearing apostrophized as (e) raj-. B. Meanings. 1. (literal) dust, dirt; usually wet, staining dust D II 19 (tiṇa + r.); Snp 662 = Pv-a 116 (sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṃ khitto); It 83; Dhs 617 (dhūmo + r.). adjective rāja°: in sa° and a° vāta Vin II 209; Vism 31. The meaning "pollen" [Sanskrit raja, m.] may be seen in "raja-missakaṃ rasaṃ" at Dhp-a I 375. 2. (figurative) stain, dirt, defilement, impurity. Thus taken conventionally by the Pāli commentators as the threefold blemish of man's character: rāga, dosa, moha, e.g. Nidd I 505; Pj II 255; Dhp-a III 485; or as kilesa-raja at Pj II 479. — Snp 207 (niketā jāyate rajo), 334, 665 (rajaṃ ākirasi, metaphysical), 974 (pañca rajāni loke, viz. the excitement caused by the 5 bāhirāni āyatanāni Nidd I 505. Also in stanza rāgo rajo na ca pana reṇu vuccati (with dosa and moha the same) Nidd I 505 = Nidd II §590 (slightly different) = Ja I 117 = Vism 388, cf. Divy 491 with interesting variation. — adjective raja° in two phrases apagata° Vv-a 236 and vigata° Nidd I 505 see from defilement. — On raja in similes see JPTS 1907, 126. Cf. vi°. C. Compounds. (a) rajo-: °jalla dust and (wet) dirt, muddy dirt D II 18; Vin III 70; Ja IV 322; V 241; Miln 133, 195, 258, 410; Pj II 248, 291; -jallika living in dirty mud, designation of a class of ascetics M I 281; Ja I 390; -dhātu "dust-element" (doubtful translation) D I 54, which Sv I 163 explains as "raja-okiṇṇa-ṭṭhānāni," i.e. dusty places. D.B. translated "places where dust accumulates," Franke, Dīgha translation page 57 as "Staubiges" but rightly sees a deeper, speculative meaning in the expression (Sāṅkhya doctrine of rajas?); -mala dust and dirt Ja I 24; -vajalla [this expression is difficult to explain. It may simply be a condensed phrase rajo'va jalla, or a reduplicated compound rajo + avajalla, which was spelt raj-ovajalla for ava° because of rajo, or represents a contamination of raj-avajalla and raj-ojalla, or it is a metri causā diæresis of rajo-jalla] dust and dirt Dhp 141 (= kaddama-limpanākārena sarīre sannicita-rajo Dhp-a III 77); -haraṇa dirt-taking, cleaning; wet rag, floor-cloth, duster Vin II 291; A IV 376; Ja I 117; Dhp-a I 245. (b) raja-: -reṇu dirt and dust Ja IV 362; -vaḍḍhana indulgence in or increase of defilement Thig 343 ("fleshly lusts" translation); Thig-a 240 (= rāga-rajādi-saṃvaḍḍhana). (c) rajā-: °patha dusty place, dustiness, dust-hole D I 62, 250; S II 219; Sv I 180 (here taken metaphorically: rāga-rajādīnaṃ uṭṭhāna-ṭṭhānaṃ). (d) rajas-: °sira with dusty head Snp 980; Ja IV 184, 362, 371. See paṅkadanta. (e) raj-: - °agga a heap of dust, dirt Ja V 187 (= rajakkhandha commentary); figurative = kilesa Pp 65, 68 (here perhaps neuter of a distorted rajakkha? So Kern, Toev. sub voce ). - °upavāhana taking away the dust (or dirt) Snp 391, 392.