268 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya-lila, Ch. 16
PURPORT

Hiranya and Govardhana were inhabitants of Saptagrama in the district of
Hugali. Actually they were inhabitants not of Saptagrama, but a nearby village
named Krsnapura. They took their birth in a big kayastha family, and although
their family title has not been ascertained, it is known that they came from an
aristocratic family. The elder brother's name was Hiranya Majumadara, and the
younger brother's name was Govardhana Majumadara. Sri Raghunatha dasa was
the son of Govardhana Majumadara. Their family priest was Balarama Acarya,
who was a favorite of Haridasa Thakura’s, and the family’s spiritual master was
Yadunandana Acarya, a favorite of Vasudeva Datta’s.

The village of Saptagrama is located on the eastern railway from Calcutta to
Burdwan, and presently the railway station is called TriSabigha. In those days there
was a large river there known as the Sarasvati, and present-day TriSabigha is a
great port. In 1592, the Pathanas invaded, and due to a flooding of the Sarasvati
River in the year 1632, this great port was partially destroyed. It is said that in the
Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, Portuguese businessmen used to come
aboard their ships. In those days, Saptagrama, situated on the southern side of
Bengal, was very rich and popular. The merchants, who were the principal resi-
dents, were called Saptagrama suvarna-vanik. There were very many rich people
there, and Hiranya Majumadara and Govardhana Majumadara belonged to the
kayastha community. They also were very rich, so much so that it is mentioned in
this verse that their annual income as landlords amounted to 1,200,000 rupees. In
this connection, one may refer to Adi-lila (Chapter Eleven, verse 41), which de-
scribes Uddharana Datta, who also belonged to the Saptagrami suvarna-vanik
community.

TEXT 218
HVUMTS FCL—ATD, SHAT |
WIA, ReSatla, xiPHstatsty Vow |
mahaisvarya-yukta dunhe —vadanya, brahmanya
sadacari, satkulina, dharmikagra-ganya
SYNONYMS

maha-aisvarya-yukta—very opulent in riches; dunhe—both the brothers;
vadanya—very magnanimous; brahmanya—devoted to brahminical culture; sat-
acari—well-behaved; sat-kulina—aristocratic; dharmika-agra~-ganya—on the top
of the list of religious persons.

TRANSLATION

Both Hiranya Majumadara and Govardhana Majumadara were very opulent

and magnanimous. They were well-behaved and devoted to brahminical
