Kuravpur [Kurugaddi or Kuravapur or Kuravapuram]

Digambara Digambara Shripad Shrivallabh Digambara

Kuravpur

Shripadji stayed here most of his life. It appears that this place must have been quite well inhabited. The story of Vallabhesh Brahmin shows that the village must have been quite big enough to at least accommodate about 1000 Brahmins. Now (as of 2006 AD) the population has reduced and there are many fields in between the temple and the village. The village is at one end of the island and the temple is at the other end. There are two, frequently used, routes to reach Kuravapur. One is via Raichur in Karnataka state and another one is via Makthal in Andhra Pradesh state. Either way one has to cross the Krishna river in a small elliptical boat (Putti or Theppa) to reach this island.


Ambika Var-Pradanam (Blessing of Ambika)

It is this place where the future incarnation (avatar) related stories happened. The first one is of woman called Ambika, whose children were dying. Only one survived and he turned out to be a moron. Her husband died after trying to teach his son, but to no success. After her husband's death, she tried to teach the boy, but finally gave up. The boy was ridiculed by village people and no one was ready to give him their daughter. He was not even able to do proper 'Bhiksha' ritual and earn some food, so the widow mother had to do it though it was not the right thing to do. 

The mother had decided to end their lives in the Krishna River. Here they met Shripaada Shri Vallabha who was taking bath. She was quite impressed with Swamiji and asked that in the next birth she would have son like him, and to permit her to end that life then itself. After hearing her full story He asked her to do Shani-pradosh-vrata. Blessed, she still insisted on ending that Janma then and there. Shripaadaji put his hand over the boy's head. The boy became a learned scholar instantly. The woman Ambika in her next birth became Amba-Bhavani of Lad-Karanja (A place in Maharashtra) and became the mother of Shri Narashimha Saraswati (Shri Shripaada ShriVallabh's next avatar).

Rajak Var-Pradanam (Blessing of Washerman)

A washerman (Rajak) has become the disciple of Shripaadji, and faithfully did his Seva, washing Swamiji's clothes. One day this man saw the local Sultan moving in with royal boats, army, and women, etc., and seeing such extravaganza, compared it with his own poor form and was quite depressed. Shripaadji asked him what was the matter, he said that he wanted to have that kind of royal life. Shripaadji blessed him to become the king. When that washerman cried that he would then go away from Him, Shripaadji assured him that he would meet him at Vidura Nagari in their next births.

It is believed that the Bedar's sultan Allauddin II (1435-58AD) might have been this king who met with Shri Narasimha Saraswati (next avatara of Shri Dattatreya or reincarnation of Shri Shripad ShriVallabh).

Vallabhesh Brahmin Story

This following story happened just after the avatar-samapti (end of avatara) of Shri Shripadji. It seems this Vallabhesh brahmin was doing business, and once he said that if he earns more than his usual earnings, he will go to Kuravpur and feed 1000 Brahmins with the additional profit thus earned. Indeed that year he made some huge profit and then decided to complete his vow. While he was approaching Kuravpur, on his way he was met with few dacoits who accompanied him in disguise to loot him. Later while travelling, they attacked, beheaded and killed him. Shri Shripaadji suddenly appeared from nowhere and killed all the dacoits with His Trishul. Only one was spared, who begged Shripaadji as Lord Shiva.

Shripaadji spared him and asked him to stick the head of Vallabhesh on his beheaded body and brought him to life. Vallabhesh Brahmin later completed his vow and became a full disciple of Shri Shripad ShriVallabh.

It is interesting to note that this Vallabhesh brahmin is considered as the mula-purush (family originator) of the Hedgewar family. Dr. K. B. Hedgewar who founded the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (the RSS) is the 9th generation man from Vallabhesh.