Gauḍa-bhūmi

geographical name

the land of Gauḍa. According to the Śakti-saṅgama Tantra this corresponds to West Bengal, and includes some parts of modern day Bangladesh and Orissa (extending as far as Bhubaneswar). In ancient times the residents of this tract of land were known as Gauḍīyas. After the appearance of Śrī Gaurāṅga, the term Gauḍīya was especially applied to the devotees of Gaurāṅga, for almost everyone in this land had become His bhakta