Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/535

 = V.] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 499 how it was that a man of such piety as he was reputed to be, could violate the injunctions of the Castras. Narottama sent a reply to the effect that there was nothing in the Castras, rightly interpreted, to uphold or support the views of the Brahmins _ and that he was willing to hold a public discussion with those who entertained the contrary opinion. If his arguments failed and he was convinced of his error he would accept the orthodox view of matters and regulate his life accordingly. The Raja of Pakvapalli marched with a host of scholars to meet Narottama, and in the meantime Ganganarayan Chakravarti, his disciple, and Ram Chandra Kaviraj his friend, contrived a device; one disguised himself as a potter, and the other asa seller of betels; they opened small shops on the road along which the Raja was to pass. His men came to purchase betels and pitchers from the shops and they spoke to them in Sanskrit. This amazed the servants and they carried word tothe Raja that potters and betel- sellers spoke in Sanskrit in that part of the country. The news interested the Pandits, who im- mediately went to the spot, and being accosted in Sanskrit, were led into a controversial discussion in which the Rajas staff of Pandits, who had brought a cartful of Mss. to prove their point, were completely beaten. They afterwards came to know that one was a disciple and the other a triend of Narottama. Their arguments, however, produced so great an impression on the Raja and his scholars that they became disciples of Narottama then and there. Narottama, though belonging to the Kayastha caste was called Thakur, a title generally applied in Bengal to Brahmins only.