As the golden boy walked by, all the onlookers wondered who this enchanting young boy was, and when he reached his home, his own mother could not recognise him and wondered about the identity of the extraordinary boy. He then explained to his mother that he was her very own son and related to her the incident that had changed his complexion from dark to golden.
One morning when the young prince Narottam, born in a royal family in West Bengal, went to the river Padma for his daily bath, the river imparted unto him the transcendental love of Godhead that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had left for him with the river Padma. Thereafter, experiencing great love for Shyamsundar, he left home at the tender age of sixteen and started his journey towards Jagannath Puri to take darshan of Mahaprabhu along with Sri Shyamananda Prabhu and Srinivas Acharya. However, on the way they received news of the disappearance of Mahaprabhu and his associates and feeling great distress, changed their route and started towards Vrindavan, hoping to meet Sri Rupa and Sanatan Goswami. However, they also brought their pastimes in this world to an end and this plunged the three devotees in great grief. When they finally reached Vrindavan, they took shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Jiva Goswami and received instructions on all transcendental subject matters from him. However, since Srila Jiva goswami was not initiating anyone, he instructed Narottam to take shelter of Srila Lokanath Prabhu.
Following the instructions of his shiksha guru, Narottam das thakur went to Sri Lokanath Prabhu and begged for initiation, but he also refused saying that he did not want to have any disciples. Thereafter, resolving to please Lokanath Prabhu, Narottam would every morning go and clean the area where Lokanath Prabhu would go to pass stole. This soon came to the attention of Lokanath Prabhu and he decided to check who is doing it. When he discovered that it was Narottam, being pleased with his humble service, he gave him initiation, and Srila narottam das thakur started performing his bhajan under the guidance of his Diksha guru Sri Lokanath Prabhu and his Siksha guru Srila Jiva goswami.
After some time, under the instructions of Srila Jiva Goswami, Srila Narottam das Thakur went to West Bengal along with Srinivas acharya and Shyamananda Prabhu, and preached the teachings of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the goswamis of Vrindavan. Thereafter, in Kheturi dham he performed the very first Gaura Purnima festival, in which Jahnava Ma, the eternal consort of Nityananda Prabhu, was personally present and she cooked a great feast for all the assembled Vaishnavas. During this festival, after the installation of the Deities, during the uproarious kirtan, all the devotees had the divine darshan of Panca Tattva dancing in the kirtan.
Srila Narottam das thakur, preached far and wide and made many disciples, many of whom were even caste Brahmanas, which made other Brahmanas, who were not above the bodily designations, offensive towards him, saying that he would go to hell because he was initiating brahmanas when he himself was Kayasta. This displeased Srila Narottam das Thakur and therefore with his sweet will he left this material world. However, not understanding his exalted position, the brahmanas started saying that this was happening due to his offense of initiating brahmanas. Seeing this, the dear disciples of Narottam das thakur requested him to please come back to life to prove these offensive people false, and just for the pleasure of his devotees, he again became conscious and thus proved them wrong. Realising their mistake, they all fell at his lotus feet and begged for forgiveness. After this incident, Narottam das thakur blessed the entire population by staying on the planet for another year after which he gave up his life by dissolving in the river Padma.
On this auspicious day of the disappearance of Srila Narottam das thakur, we pray to him for his causeless mercy so that we may make some spiritual advancement in our lives.
