Neḷa & Nela

(adj.)

1. without fault or sin blameless, faultless; not hurting, humane, gentle merciful, innocuous DN.i.4 (Bdhgh explains: elaṃ vuccati doso; n’ assā (i.e. vācāya) elan ti nelā; niddosā ti attho. “Nelango setapacchādo” ti ettha vuttanelaṃ viya; DN-a.i.75); AN.ii.209; AN.v.205; Ja.v.156; Vv.50#18, Vv.63#6 (= niddosa Vv-a.262); Pp.29, Pp.57; Dhs.1343 (vācā) = niddosa Dhs-a.397.
2. (somewhat doubtful “clean,” with ref. to big cats (mahā-biḷārā nelamaṇḍalaṃ vuccati), whereas young ones are called “elephants, cubs” (something like “pigs”) (taruṇā bhinka-cchāpamaṇḍalaṃ) Ja.v.418.

• -aṅga of faultless limbs or parts, of a chariot (ratha = running perfectly SN.iv.291 = Ud.76 (nelagga text nelanga variant reading) = DN-a.i.75 = Dhs-a.397.
• -patī (f.) = neḷavatī (of vācā) humane, gentle Ja.vi.558 (na elapatī elapāta-rahitā madhurā Com.).

na + eḷa = Sk. anenas, of enas fault, sin. The other negated form, also in meaning “pure clean,” is aneḷa (& aneḷaka), q.v. On ḷ: n. cp. lāngala nangala; tulā: tūṇa etc.