Manthangoud Shripad Sri Vallabha (Dattatreya Temple)
Lord Dattatreya temple is located at Manthangoud Village (Vallabhapuram) , Makthal Mandal, Mahabubnagar Dist- Telangana.Manthangoud is a kshetra of Lord Dattatreya’s first incarnation, Shripada Shri Vallabha which has its own importance . There is a reference about this place in SREE GURU CHARITRA in chapter 10.
A true story happened at this place in 1351 A.D after Shripada Shri Vallabha (first incarnation of Lord Dattatreya) disappeared from Kuruvapur in 1350 The story proves a belief that if we are devoted to Sri Guru it is never futile. Sri Guru never disappoints his disciples.
The story goes as follows.
Vallabhesh, a righteous Brahmin, was doing Turmeric business. He used to go to Shripad Shrivallabha Padukas at Kuravapura every year. Once he declared that if he made good business he would feed 1000 Brahmins at Kuravapura. Fortunately he earned good profit that year and he started for Kuravapura with good money. Knowing this, 4 thieves also accompanied him. They told him that they were also business men like him. After two or three days, all the five reached a small village amidst of a thick forest.
That night the thieves killed the Brahmin when he was asleep and wanted to take away all his money. Vallabhesh yelled Shripada’s name before he died and breathed his last. Immediately Shripad Shrivallabha, with locks of hair on his head and trishul in his hands appeared on the scene. He killed three thieves; but one, who surrendered himself saying, ‘I am innocent, I did not know that these three persons would kill the Brahmin. You are omniscient. Kindly save me’. Hearing his prayers, Shripada Sri Vallabha told him to rub the “Vibhuti” (enchanted ashes) to the separated parts of the body of Vallabhesh.Then Shripada Sri Vallabha flowed his merciful vision on the body and immediately, made him alive and Shripad Shri Vallabha disappeared from that place.
Vallabhesh got up and asked the person sitting by his side, ‘why have you held me, Who has killed these men.
The person replied, ‘ A great ascetic had come here and he killed these thieves with his Trishul. He saved me for you. He asked me to rub enchanted Vibhuti to your body. He woke you and made you sit by his hands. He has just disappeared. He might be the great god Shri Shiva.
Hearing this the Brahmin realised that all this has been done by Shri Guru Shripada Shrivallabh. He also understood that he attained the capacity of feeding 1000 brahmins very long back , but due to his negligence he postponed his promise. So he was taught a lesson not to postpone the promises.
Taking the amount from the thieves, he then went to Kuravapura. He worshipped the Padukas (foot prints) of Shri Guru with great devotion and fed about 4000 Brahmins instead of 1000.
According to chapter 18 of Shripada Charitamrutha, this story was predicted by Shripada himself to Vallabheshwara Sharma that it would take place. The reason behind the death and re birth of Vallabhesh is that the four thieves were his maternal uncles of in his past life who deceived him and grabbed his property. Because of this they took a birth as thieves but the hatred towards Vallabhesh still continued and they killed him. But Lord Shripada who knows the past , present and the future of all living beings is always there to protect those who rely on him.