Vṛṣabhaवृषभ(Vrishabha)
The second rāśi (30°–60°), ruled by Śukra; sidereal Bull, earth-element, classical fixed sign of accumulation and enjoyment.
Vṛṣabha
Vṛṣabha (वृषभ, also written Vrishabha) is the second of the twelve rāśis and the first of the three sthira (fixed) signs. The word means bull, and the sign's temperament follows — steady, sense-anchored, slow to move but harder to move off-course once the direction is set. Vṛṣabha is ruled by Śukra; it is the sign of exaltation for Chandra and, in the BPHS-derived reading, the sign of debilitation for Ketu. These three assignments shape most of how the sign is read in practice.
Classical grounding
Parāśara in Brihat Parāśara Horā Śāstra adhyāya 4 gives Vṛṣabha as sthira (fixed), pṛthvī (earth) in element, vaiśya in varṇa, and strī (feminine) in polarity. The sign rises pṛṣṭhodaya — hind-part first — like Meṣa, which again carries weight for electional (muhūrta) work. The classical svarūpa describes the sign as white in complexion, well-proportioned, inhabiting fields and rural landscapes. In Kālapuruṣa correspondence, Vṛṣabha governs the face, throat, and neck. As with all sidereal rāśis, Vṛṣabha is not identical to tropical Taurus; the roughly 24° ayanāṃśa offset moves most grahas into a different sign between the two frames.
Significations
Qualities carried by Vṛṣabha itself, independent of occupant:
- Sthira — fixed quality; shares with Siṃha, Vṛścika, and Kumbha
- Pṛthvī-tattva — earth element; shares with Kanyā and Makara
- Vaiśya-varṇa — the mercantile/productive caste in the classical four-fold scheme
- Strī — feminine polarity; shares with every even-numbered sign
- Pṛṣṭhodaya — hind-rising
- Madhya-ratri-balin — strong at midnight in the classical time-of-day strength rules for signs
The three nakshatras that fall within Vṛṣabha are the last three pādas of Kṛttikā (0°–10°), the whole of Rohiṇī (10°–23°20′), and the first two pādas of Mṛgaśīrṣa (23°20′–30°). Each carries its own ruling graha and texture, and a planet in Vṛṣabha is read through the rāśi and through the specific nakshatra and pāda it occupies.
Practical interpretation
A native with Vṛṣabha Lagna tends toward steadiness, sensory groundedness, and a preference for beauty and comfort that Śukra's rulership inclines the chart toward. The 10th bhāva falls in Kumbha, ruled by Śani — a classical pairing that balances the Lagna's comfort- seeking with professional demands requiring endurance and structure.
Vṛṣabha Chandra (the Moon occupying its exaltation) is the classical strongest lunar placement. It is read for emotional steadiness, good memory, and a nurturing relationship with the mother — always with the caveat that exaltation is strongest when untroubled by afflictive aspects. Rohiṇī Chandra specifically — the Moon in its own nakshatra — is a further strength, named in the tradition for allure and lasting appeal.
Vṛṣabha Sūrya is read for patient authority, steady vitality, and the leadership style that builds through accretion rather than announcement.
Remedies
Remedial work for Vṛṣabha-afflicted charts routes through Śukra, covered in full on the Śukra page. Where the Moon specifically is weak despite being in exaltation — through, for example, close malefic conjunction — *Candra-*oriented remedies apply.