When Sri Ganga Narayana Cakravarti, a renowned brahmana, took initiation from Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura the smarta brahmanas became outraged. They complained to King Narasimha that the “audacious sudra,” Narottama Dasa, had brazenly initiated a brahmana into the fold of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. The king, the smartas, and the dig vijaya pandit (world class scholar) went to challenge and conquer the “upstart” Narottama Dasa.
Krishna’s devotees peacefully tolerate all insults and abuses to themselves. But they strike like fire against offenders to their beloved guru or worshipable Lord Krishna.
Ganga Narayana Cakravarti and Ramacandra Kaviraja felt disturbed upon hearing of the imminent attack against their gurudeva.
Disguising themselves as a potter and a pan walla (betel nut vendor), they opened shops in a neighboring village. Upon arriving there, the smartas sent their students to buy by pan and clay pots for cooking. Both the potter (Ramacandra Kaviraja) and the pan walla (Ganga Narayana) spoke pure Sanskrit with the students. Soon an argument stirred the ethers. The smartas, King Narasimha and Sri Rupa Narayana (the dig vijaya pandit) joined the furious debate. The two “wallas” quickly silenced the opposition. When he understood they were Narottama Dasa’s disciples, the King told the smarta pandits, “If you can’t even defeat these two common ordinary disciples of Narottama Dasa Thakura, how will you ever defeat Narottama Dasa himself?”
Humiliated, the pandits headed home. That night in a dream Durga Devi told King Narasimha and the dig vijaya pandit, “Take initiation from Narottama Dasa Thakura, or else I’ll cut off your heads.” The next day they surrendered and received Radha-Krish-na mantra diksa from Narottama Dasa Thakura.
The samadhi of Ganga Narayana Cakravarti’s is next to Narottama Dasa Thakura’s samadhi in the Radha-Gokulananda temple courtyard.