Story Of Cauvery River As Wife Of Sage Agastya

River Cauvery, which is known as the Ganga of the South, is associated with Sage Agastya. The popular story has it that Sage Agastya brought River Ganga from north and it became Kaveri River in South. In Karnataka, there is a story, which suggests that Cauvery was the wife of Sage Agastya.

Sri Kavera Maharshi, who had no children, performed intense austerities to get a child. Brahma blessed the Saint with a girl child. The child was Lopamudra, who was a manifestation of Mother Goddess Shakti.

Kaveri Rishi named her Cauvery and brought her up with all affection, care and devotion at his Ashram in the Brahmagiri Hills.

One day, Sage Agastya, a manifestation of Shiva, reached the ashram of Kavera Maharshi. Here he happened to see the young Cauvery. He was impressed by her beauty and devotion.

Sage Agastya sought her hand in marriage.

Cauvery agreed to marry the saint only if he promised that he would never leave her alone for a long duration. The Sage agreed to the condition and the marriage was performed in the ashrama.

One day Sage Agastya went to perform prayers at the source of Kanika River on Brahmagiri hills.
Before departing for his prayers, the Sage converted Cauvery into water and stored it in his Kamandalu – the water pot.

But for some reason Sage Agastya did not return at the said time. Cauvery became impatient and she jumped from the Kamandalu into the nearby Brahmakundige – a sacred pond – and emerged as a river. This place is known as Talacauvery.

When Sage Agastya returned Cauvery had left the ashrama. Sage followed the river and met her at Balamuri.

Sage Agastya sought forgiveness and asked her to return to ashrama.

Cauvery then told sage Agastya that she would divide herself into two bodies and in one part she would return to sage Agastya and live with him as his wife and in her other body she would live as river Cauvery.