[INDOLOGY] Leprosy

[Dominik Wujastyk]

Dear Matthew, no, "kuṣṭha" is Hindi for "leprosy".  But in Sanskrit
Ayurvedic literature it refers to a range of skin conditions that may
include what we today call leprosy but also vitiligo and other conditions
causing skin pallor.  Other terms in this semantic field include "śvitra"
and "kilāsa."

Best explored by Ronald Emmerick, attached.

--
Dominik Wujastyk, Professor Emeritus, Classical Indian History
University of Alberta

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3.01
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