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by the sama-nica-medhras55 or Jyesthas, “those whose medhra (penis) hangs low through control of (sexual ?) passion.”56 They also lived in the Vrati settlement. They may be the worshippers of sama-nicamedhra and the practisers of Yoga, according to A. P. Karmakar.57
The Latyāyana Srauta Sutra58 explains samanica-medhra in this manner that "sama-nica medhras are those who through old age have lost the power of procreation". But the natural explanation may be that these Vratyas were divided into two main classes, viz. “those who worshipped their nude gods with the male organs hanging down (nica medhra) as in the case of the Gudimallam icon and those whose god was portrayed with his organ upraised (urdhva-medhra) as in the case of Laukilisa."59
Home of the Vrātyas
It is difficult to determine the original home of the Vratyas with certainty, but it is suggestive by their wandering habits that they were possibly western tribes beyond Sarasvati.60 According to the literary evidences, it is possible to locate their settlement in the east particularly in Magadha61 because of their association with its people. The Magadhans have been mentioned in the Sūtras62 as a people, the wandering bands of which had a tendency to go to western lands from the east. The Kausitaki Aranyaka63 states that Madhyama Pratibodhiputra is a resident of Magadha (Magadhavasin), while in the Atharvaveda64 Magadha is stated to be related with the Vratyas.
66 Pamcavimsa Brahmana, XVII. 4.1. 56 Some Aspects of Ancient Indian Culture, p. 39. 57 Pamcavimsa Brahmana, XVII. 4.1. See Vratyas in Ancient India, p. 53. 68 sthavirad-apeta-prajnana ye te sama-nicha-medhra, Latyayana Srauta Sutra,
VIII. 6.4. 59 Some Aspects of Ancient Indian Culture, p. 44. 60 Dr. Radhakrishna Choudhury, Vratyas in Ancient India, p. 16. 61 sarve vratya purvoktani vratyadhanabhi dadyuh, LSS, VIII. 6. 28. magadha
desiyaya brahmavandhave daksinakale vratya-magadhadesanivasin, KSS, XXII.
4. 24 ; cf. Der Vratya, pp. 6, 7, 96-97. 163. 61 BDS-1.2, 13; BSS-XX. 13; ASS-XXII, 6. 18 ; HSS-XVIII-6 ; ZDMG-56. 553;
AA-ii. 1.1. ; Keith, AA-200., SA 46 note 4. Vide Vratyas in Ancient India, p. 16,
f.n. 34. 63 Kausitaki Aranyaka, VII. 13. This is not mentioned in earlier Aitareya Aranyaka.
Oldenberg regards this as usual ; cf. p. 400, note ; cf. Weber, Indian Literature,
p. 112 Note. Vide Vratyas in Ancient India, p. 17. 64 sraddha pumscali motro magadho vijnanam Vaso aharusnisam, AV. 15. 2.5.
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