@Brenna
According to the PTS dicitonary, it’s actually the oposite: a literal meaning of raja is ‘dust’ while the figurative meaning is ‘defilement’:
Rajo
Rajo (rajas) & Raja (nt.) [raj, see rajati & rañjati. Vedic rajaḥ meaning: (a) space, as region of mist & cloud, similar to antarīksa, (b) a kind of (shiny) metal (cp. rajata); see Zimmer, Altind. Leben 55]. A Forms. Both rajo & rajaŋ occur as noun & acc. sg., e. g. rajo at D II.19; Sn 207, 334; Dhs 617; rajaŋ at Sn 275; It 83; once (in verse) rajo occurs as m, viz. Sn 662. The other cases are formed from the a – stem only, e. g. rajassa Sn 406; pl. rajāni Sn 517, 974. In compn we find both forms, viz. (1) rajas either in visarga form rajah, as (a) rajo – , (b) raja – and (c) rajā – (stressed), or in s – form (d) rajas – ; (2) raja – , appearing apostrophied as (e) raj – . B Meanings. (1) (lit.) dust, dirt; usually wet, staining dust D II.19 (tiṇa+); Sn 662=PvA 116 (sukhumo rajo paṭivātaŋ khitto); It 83; Dhs 617 (dhūmo+). adj. rāja˚: in sa˚ & a˚ vāta Vin II.209; Vism 31. The meaning “pollen” [Sk. raja, m.] may be seen in “raja – missakaŋ rasaŋ” at DhA I.375. ↔ 2. (fig.) stain, dirt, defilement, impurity. Thus taken conventionally by the P. commentators as the 3 – fold blemish of man’s character: rāga, dosa, moha, e. g. Nd1 505; SnA 255; DhA III.485; or as kilesa – raja at SnA 479. – Sn 207 (niketā jāyate rajo), 334, 665 (rajaŋ ākirasi, metaph.), 974 (pañca rajāni loke, viz. the excitement caused by the 5 bāhirāni āyatanāni Nd1 505. Also in stanza rāgo rajo na ca pana reṇu vuccati (with dosa & moha the same) Nd1 505=Nd2 590 (slightly diff.)=J I.117=Vism 388, cp. Divy 491 with interesting variation. – adj. raja˚ in two phrases apagata˚ VvA 236 & vigata˚ Nd1 505 ≈ free from defilement. – On raja in similes see J.P.T.S. 1907, 126. Cp. vi˚. – C. Compounds. (a) rajo – : ˚jalla dust and (wet) dirt, muddy dirt D II.18; Vin III.70; J IV.322; V.241; Miln 133, 195, 258, 410; SnA 248, 291. – jallika living in dirty mud, designation of a class of ascetics M I.281; J I.390. – dhātu “dust – element” (doubtful trsln) D I.54, which DA I.163 explns as “raja – okiṇṇa – ṭṭhānāni,” i. e. dusty places. Dial. trsl. “places where dust accumulates,” Franke, Dīgha p. 57 as “Staubiges” but rightly sees a deeper, speculative meaning in the expression (Sānkhya doctrine of rajas?). – mala dust & dirt J I.24. – vajalla [this expression is difficult to explain. It may simply be a condensed phrase rajo ‘va jalla, or a redupl. cpd. 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 metric diaeresis of rajo – jalla] dust and dirt Dh 141 (=kaddama – limpan’ ākārena sarīre sannicita – rajo DhA III.77). – haraṇa dirt – taking, cleaning; wet rag, floor – cloth, duster Vin II.291; A IV.376; J I.117; DhA I.245. – (b) raja – : – reṇu dirt and dust J IV.362; – vaḍḍhana indulgence in or increase of defilement Th 2, 343 (“fleshly lusts” trsl.); ThA 240 (=rāga – raj’ ādi – saŋvaḍḍhana). – (c) rajā – : ˚patha dusty place, dustiness, dust – hole D I.62, 250; S II.219; DA I.180 (here taken metaphorically: rāga – raj’ ādīnaŋ uṭṭhāna – ṭṭhānaŋ). – (d) rajas – : ˚sira with dusty head Sn 980; J IV.184, 362, 371. See pankadanta. – (e) raj – : – ˚agga a heap of dust, dirt J V.187 (=rajakkhandha C.); fig.=kilesa Pug 65, 68 (here perhaps nt. of a distorted rajakkha? So Kern, Toev. s. v.). – ˚upavāhana taking away the dust (or dirt) Sn 391, 392.
I don’t know the word in the elephant tale. Is it pādapaṃsūni? I only recognize the pada (foot) part.
