# Cc. Ādi 14.94 ## Text > kata dine miśra putrera hāte khaḍi dila > alpa dine dvādaśa-phalā akṣara śikhila ## Synonyms *kata* *dine*—after some days; *miśra*—Jagannātha Miśra; *putrera*—of his son; *hāte*—in the hand; *khaḍi*—chalk; *dila*—gave; *alpa*—within a very few; *dine*—days; *dvādaśa*-*phalā*—twelve combinations of letters; *akṣara*—letters; *śikhila*—learned. ## Translation **After some days Jagannātha Miśra inaugurated the primary education of his son by performing the hāte khaḍi ceremony. Within a very few days the Lord learned all the letters and combinations of letters.** ## Purport The twelve *phalā,* or combinations of letters, are called *repha, mūrdhanya* (cerebral), *ṇa, dāntavya* (dental), *na, ma, ya, ra, la, va, ṛ, ṝ, ḷ* and *ḷ. Hāte khaḍi* is the primary educational beginning. At the age of four or five years, on an auspicious day called *vidyārambha* marking the beginning of primary education, there is a ceremony worshiping Lord Viṣṇu, and after that the teacher gives the child a long chalk pencil. Then, guiding the hand of the student, he instructs him how to write the letters of the alphabet (*a, ā, i,* etc.) by writing big letters on the floor. When the child is a little advanced in writing, he is given a slate for his primary education, which ends when he learns the two-letter combinations, which are called *phalā,* as mentioned above.