Vrishala, Vṛṣala: 15 definitions
Introduction:
Vrishala means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
The Sanskrit term Vṛṣala can be transliterated into English as Vrsala or Vrishala, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Dharmashastra (religious law)
The title of Vṛṣala (वृषल, “low-born”) does not apply to one who is so by caste—i.e., the shūdra,—but he who ‘commits the violation’ (alam) of the Bull, ‘vṛṣa,’—i.e., he who showers all blessings;—the particle ‘alam’ denoting violation, perversion. (See the Manubhāṣya verse 8.16)

Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Vṛṣala (वृषल) refers to a “working agriculturist”, as defined in the Śivapurāṇa 1.13, “A person rendering service to Brahmins, Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas is called a Śūdra. A working agriculturist is a Vṛṣala and the others are Dasyus”.
1a) Vṛṣala (वृषल).—See Śūdra;1 unfit for Pankti feeding.2
1b) Rule with Guruṇḍas (Maruṇḍas, Vāyu-purāṇa); both Mlecchas;1 joined with the Mlecchas;2 to be put down by future Kalki.3
- 1) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 74. 177; Vāyu-purāṇa 58. 88; 99. 363.
- 2) Matsya-purāṇa 273. 22.
- 3) Ib. 47. 252; Vāyu-purāṇa 98. 114.
Vṛṣala (वृषल) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. VIII.30.73) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Vṛṣala) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
Vṛṣala (वृषल) refers to one of the five sons of Chāyā and Sṛṣṭi: one of the four sons of Dhruva, according to the Vaṃśa (‘genealogical description’) of the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, [...] Uttānapāda’s son was Dhruva who achieved the highest place of worshipping Nārāyaṇa. Dhruva had four sons—Sṛṣṭi, Dhanya, Harya and Śaṃbhu; they all were Vaiṣṇavas. Chāyā gave birth to five sons of Sṛṣṭi; they were Ripu, Ripuṃjaya, Vipra, Vṛṣala and Vṛkatejas.

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Vṛṣala (वृषल).—[vṛṣ kalac]
1) A Śudra.
2) A horse.
3) Garlic.
4) A sinner, wicked or irreligious man; वृषो हि भगवान् धर्मस्तस्य यः कुरुते ह्यलम् । वृषलं तं विदुर्देवास्तस्माद्धर्मं न लोपयेत् (vṛṣo hi bhagavān dharmastasya yaḥ kurute hyalam | vṛṣalaṃ taṃ vidurdevāstasmāddharmaṃ na lopayet) || Manusmṛti 8.16; वृषलो गृञ्जने शूद्रे चन्द्रगुप्ते च राजनि (vṛṣalo gṛñjane śūdre candragupte ca rājani) |
5) An outcast.
6) Name of Chandragupta (particularly used by Chaṇakya, see inter alia Mu. acts 1 and 3).
7) A man of one of the three highest classes who has lost his caste by the omission of prescribed duties.
8) A dancer.
9) An ox.
-lam A long pepper.
Derivable forms: vṛṣalaḥ (वृषलः).
Vṛṣala (वृषल).—m.
(-laḥ) 1. A horse. 2. A Sudra, or man of the servile tribe. 3. The sovereign Chandragupta. 4. Garlic. 5. A sinner, a reprobate, a wicked or unrighteous man. f. (-lī) 1. A girl twelve years old, in whom menstruation has commenced, and who is unmarried. 2. A barren woman. 3. A woman during menstruation. 4. The mother of a still-born child. 5. A woman of a low caste. E. vṛṣa a bull, or virtue, &c., and la to take, aff. ka; or vṛṣ to sprinkle, kalac Unadi aff.
Vṛṣala (वृषल).— (from vṛṣ), I. m. 1. A horse. 2. A Śūdra, [Uttara Rāmacarita, 2. ed. Calc., 1862.] 40, 1, cf. 4. 3. A man of the three first classes who, by neglecting his religious duties, has lost his caste. 4. A sinner, [Lassen, Anthologia Sanskritica.] Pentap. p. 70, v. 73. 5. Garlic. Ii. f. lī. 1. A Śūdra woman, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 3, 19; [Pañcatantra] iii. [distich] 218 (but cf. Kāśīkh. 40, 93). 2. A woman during menstruation. 3. A barren woman.
Vṛṣala (वृषल).—[masculine] little man, low person, [especially] a Śūdra ([feminine] vṛṣalī).
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Vṛṣala (वृषल).—[masculine] little man, low person, [especially] a Śūdra ([feminine] vṛṣalī).
1) Vṛṣala (वृषल):—[from vṛṣ] vṛṣala or vṛṣala, m. ([from] vṛṣan) a little or contemptible man, low or mean or wicked fellow (in later language ‘a Śūdra’), [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc.
2) [v.s. ...] a dancer, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
3) [v.s. ...] Name of king Candra-gupta (who was by birth a Śūdra), [Mudrārākṣasa]
4) [v.s. ...] a horse, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
5) [v.s. ...] an ox, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
6) [v.s. ...] a kind of garlic, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
7) [from vṛṣ] n. long pepper, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Vṛṣala (वृषल):—(laḥ) 1. m. A horse; a Sudra; a sinner; garlic. f. Girl of 12 years; a barren, or menstruous, or low woman.
Vṛṣala (वृषल):—(von vṛṣan) [Uṇādisūtra 1, 108.] m.
1) Männlein so v. a. ein geringer Mann, ein gemeiner Kerl; der Kaste nach ein Śūdra [?(Amarakoṣa 2, 10, 1. Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 894. Anekārthasaṃgraha 3, 684. Medinīkoṣa 1. 134. Halāyudha 2, 431.] = adhārmika [GAṬĀDH. im Śabdakalpadruma]). f. ī [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 4, 1, 63, Scholiast] ein gemeines Weib, ein Weib aus der Kaste der Śūdra. so a.nerante vṛṣa.aḥ papāda [Ṛgveda 10, 34, 11.] [Yāska’s Nirukta 3, 16.] [The Śatapathabrāhmaṇa 14, 9, 4, 12] (proparox.). [ĀŚV. GṚHY. 4, 2, 19. 21.] [Kauśika’s Sūtra zum Atuarvaveda 91.] [Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtrāṇi 14, 2, 30.] [LĀṬY. 4, 3, 2.] naiko na vṛṣalaiḥ saha grāmāntaraṃ gacchet [GOBH. 3, 5, 20.] [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 3, 164. 249. 4, 108. 140. 8, 16] [?(= Mahābhārata 12, 3377). 11, 43. Yājñavalkya’s Gesetzbuch 1, 224. Mahābhārata 3, 12916. 13080. 13356. 8, 2098. 12, 3376. 13, 1587. 1882. Rāmāyaṇa 2, 82, 31. Spr. 3064. 5096. UTTARAR. 30, 10 (40, 1). Weber’s Indische Studien 2, 262] (angeblich Tänzer). [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 1, 16, 21. 17, 1. 9. 2, 7, 38. 5, 9, 18. 9, 21, 7. 12, 1, 20.] pati [5, 9, 13.] rāja [17.] vṛṣalī [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 3, 19. 191. 250. 11, 178.] [Mahābhārata 13, 4281.] pitṛveśmani yā kanyā rajaḥ paśyatyasaṃskṛtā . avivāhyā tu sā kanyā jaghanyā vṛṣalī smṛtā .. [Spr. 1777.] [Kathāsaritsāgara 24, 40.] svavṛṣaṃ (vṛṣa so v. a. Gatte) yā parityajya paravṛṣe vṛṣāyate . vṛṣalī sā hi (v. l. tu) vijñeyā na śūdrī vṛṣalī bhavet .. [KĀŚĪKH. 40, 93 im Śabdakalpadruma] und bei [AUFRECHT], [Uṇādisūtra S. 251.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 3, 14, 29] (= veśyā Comm.). [6, 2, 26.] pati [Āpastamba 1, 18, 33.] [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 3, 155.] [Mahābhārata 3, 13356. 5, 1345.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 5, 26, 23. 6, 2, 33.] [Mārkāṇḍeyapurāṇa 31, 29.] [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 6, 2, 18, Scholiast] putra und vṛṣalyāḥputra (als comp.) [3, 22, Scholiast] —
2) ein N. Candragupta's (der ein Śūdra war) [Medinīkoṣa] [Mudrārākṣasa 5, 13. 7, 5. 12.] —
3) Pferd [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha] [Medinīkoṣa] (wo vājini st. rājini zu lesen ist). —
4) eine Art Knoblauch [Medinīkoṣa] — Vgl. vārṣala und vārṣali .
Vṛṣala (वृषल) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Vasula, Vesalaga.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Kannada-English dictionary
Vṛṣala (ವೃಷಲ):—
1) [noun] śudra, a man belonging to the lowest of the four social classes.
2) [noun] a horse.
3) [noun] the strong-smelling bulb of the herb Allium sativum, used as a seasoning food; garlic.
4) [noun] a person who sins or has sinned; a sinner.
5) [noun] a male dancer.
6) [noun] a bull; an ox.
7) [noun] a man who is excommunicated.
8) [noun] a man who, born in an upper class, is execommunicated for adultery, failure to observe the ritualistic customs, etc.
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Vṛṣaḷa (ವೃಷಳ):—[noun] = ವೃಷಲ [vrishala].
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Vṛṣala (वृषल):—n. 1. a sinner; wicked or irreligious man; 2. a Shudra; 3. a horse; 4. an outcast;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Vrishalaka, Vrishalaksha, Vrishalakshana, Vrishalakshman, Vrishalalatatayin, Vrishalanchana, Vrishalapacaka, Vrishalapati, Vrishalapuri, Vrishalata, Vrishalatmaja, Vrishalatva, Vrishalavritti, Vrishalayajaka.
Full-text (+44): Vrishalatva, Vrishalata, Vrishalatmaja, Vrishalapati, Kuvrishala, Durvrishala, Vrishalayajaka, Vrishalapacaka, Vrishashila, Vrishalaka, Varshala, Vrishali, Jantu, Marunda, Kilakila, Vesalaga, Virushalan, Gurunda, Apagara, Virutalam.
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Search found 34 books and stories containing Vrishala, Vṛṣala, Vrsala, Vṛshala, Vrshala, Vṛṣaḷa, Vṛshaḷa, Vrishalas; (plurals include: Vrishalas, Vṛṣalas, Vrsalas, Vṛshalas, Vrshalas, Vṛṣaḷas, Vṛshaḷas, Vrishalases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 8.16 < [Section III - Constitution of the Court of Justice (continued)]
Verse 3.249 < [Section XV - Procedure after Feeding]
Verse 4.108 < [Section XIII - Days unfit for Study]
Mimamsa in Medhatithi (study) (by A. R. Joshi)
Arthavada in Manubhasya 8.16 < [Part 3.7 - Arthavada]
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
Bhagavata Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 1 - Dynasties of the Kali Age < [Book 12 - Twelfth Skandha]
Chapter 9 - Bharata, reborn as a Brāhmaṇa, saved by Bhadrakālī < [Book 5 - Fifth Skandha]
List of Mahabharata people and places (by Laxman Burdak)
Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 207 - Eligibility (of Brāhmaṇas) for Śrāddha < [Section 1 - Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya]
Chapter 132 - The Greatness of Ādivārāha Tīrtha < [Section 3 - Revā-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 259 - Prayer to the Bull < [Section 1 - Tīrtha-māhātmya]