ऋषभ
ṛṣabha/r̩.ʂɐ.bʱɐ́/masculine
The English word "bull" is translated into Sanskrit as ऋषभ (ṛṣabha) or उक्षन्.
Meaning: uncastrated adult male bovine (noun)
Ways to say it
| Sanskrit | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ऋषभ | ṛṣabha | /r̩.ʂɐ.bʱɐ́/ (Vedic) /r̩.ʂɐ.bʱɐ/ (Classical Sanskrit) |
masculine |
| उक्षन् | ukṣan | /uk.ʂɐ́n/ (Vedic) /uk.ʂɐn̪/ (Classical Sanskrit) |
masculine |
Both terms refer to an uncastrated adult male bovine. ऋषभ is more common in literary and poetic contexts, whereas उक्षन् is often used in technical or Vedic contexts.
Which one should you use?
While both ṛṣabha and ukṣan mean bull, ṛṣabha is more common in literary and poetic contexts, whereas ukṣan is often used in technical or Vedic contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both ऋषभ and उक्षन् are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as /r̩.ʂɐ.bʱɐ́/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In Indian culture, the bull is often seen as a symbol of Dharma and is associated with the god Shiva through his vahana, the bull Nandi.
- The word ऋषभ is the name of the first Tirthankara in Jainism, signifying the spiritual 'bull' or strength of the soul.
- The term ऋषभ is used in Sanskrit literature to describe someone who is a leader or the best among a group, regardless of whether they are an animal.
Examples in context
- क्षेत्रे एकः ऋषभः धावति।kṣetre ekaḥ ṛṣabhaḥ dhāvati.A bull is running in the field.
- सा ऋषभं पश्यति।sā ṛṣabhaṃ paśyati.She sees the bull.
Example conversation
Aryan and Kavya are walking past a farm.
- आर्यन Aryanकाव्या, तत्र ऋषभं पश्य।kāvyā, tatra ṛṣabhaṃ paśya.Kavya, look at the bull there.
- काव्या Kavyaआर्यन, सः ऋषभः अति विशालः अस्ति।āryan, saḥ ṛṣabhaḥ ati viśālaḥ asti.Aryan, that bull is very huge.
- आर्यन Aryanकिं सः क्रोधितः अस्ति?kiṃ saḥ krodhitaḥ asti?Is he angry?
- काव्या Kavyaन, सः शान्तः अस्ति।na, saḥ śāntaḥ asti.No, he is calm.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bull” translations and entries ऋषभ, उक्षन्, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
