Tulsi, who took shape from the scattered drops of nectar that was obtained by the churning of the milky ocean, requested Lord Narayana that she too be given a special place like Goddess Mahalakshmi. The Lord told her to go to the banks of the Cauvery. The Goddess was to make an appearance there under a tulsi bush.
Accordingly, Tulsi reached the earth and spread as a tulsi forest on the banks of the river. The Goddess appeared there as a child, and Sage Markandeya brought up the child. He named her Bhooma because he had found Her lying on the ground, said Kamala Murthy.
When Bhoomadevi attained marriageable age, the sage was anxious to get Her married. The Lord took the guise of an old man with a stoop and came to the sage's ashram. The sage welcomed Him, thinking Him to be a man of God, and served Him food.
The Lord then said to the sage that He was looking for a suitable bride, and felt that Bhoomadevi, the sage's daughter, would be suitable. He asked the sage to give Her in marriage to Him. The sage was taken aback. His daughter was young and beautiful. How could he give Her in marriage to an old man? And yet, he did not know how to turn down the visitor's request, without inviting his wrath.
He tried giving excuses to refuse the visitor's request. He said his daughter was very young and did not even know how to welcome guests. She did not how to cook and did not know how much salt to add to different dishes.
The Lord, in the guise of the old man, replied that none of this mattered. He was adamant in wanting to marry Bhoomadevi. Finally, after putting him to trial and causing worry, the Lord revealed Himself to the sage. The sage then agreed to the marriage proposal, but laid down three conditions.
He said that after the marriage, the Lord must stay back on the banks of the Cauvery. The kshetra must be known by the sage's name, as Markandeya kshetra. The Lord must eat food to which no salt had been added, and this food must be offered to devotees in the temple. The Lord agreed, and the divine wedding was celebrated in grandeur.
