Sage Agastya's wife Lopamudra was born for enhancing the welfare of the world. For that very purpose she wanted to turn into river Kaveri and flow down the plains. Agastya consented to it. It is an interesting episode. Whatever be the veracity of the story, it was great good fortune of the world. Brahmagiri is a tall hill in the Brahmagiri range of mountains. There was a king by name Kavera living on the slopes of the hill. He wanted to do some good to the world and for that purpose he began to perform severe tapas. Lord Shankara was pleased with his tapas came and stood before him and blessed him saying, " Your great desire will be fulfilled by your daughter."In course of time Kavera had a daughter and she was named Kaveri. She grew up to be a righteous and loveable young woman. Kavera revealed to his daughter his heart's desire of doing something good to the world. She liked the idea and she was also inspired by such a desire. As willed by God, she married sage Agastya. After the marriage sage Agastya began to live in a small ashram on the slope of Brahmagiri along with his wife Kaveri. He spent time in performing tapas and other religious rituals. Kaveri was burning with the desire to help people somehow. She revealed her desire to her husband. Agastya consoled her saying that for every good thing to happen one had to wait for an opportune time. In the meantime there was a very brave demon king by name Shoora Padma ruling over some southern part of India. He was angrywith Devendra. He was also angry with humans because they workshipped Devendra and the other devas. With the help of his extraordinary power he prevented the earth from receiving rain. All the rivers and lakes dried up. Humans, animals, birds and other creatures had neither food to eat nor water to drink. There was suffering and pain all over the earth. When Kaveri saw the suffering of the people she thought she could do something to help people. Time is rip for doing something good, she thought. One early morning sage Agastya had to go to the river for bath. Kaveri was not well. She could not accompany her husband to the river. Agastya was worried because he did not desire to leave Kaveri alone in the ashram. Finally he found a solution. With the help of the power of his tapas he changed Kaveri into water and filled it in his holy water pot on a stone and got into the river to have a bath.The devas were also expecting something good to the world from Kaveri. When Agastya got into the river keeping his water pot on a stone, Devendra requested Lord Ganesha to mix the water in the holy water pot with the water of the river.
With a view to doing good to the world Lord Ganesha, took the form of a crow and made the holy water pot roll on the stone. Kaveri who was confined to the water pot, now came out and began to flow all over the land. People who were suffering for lack of water, became happy to get sweet and crystal clear water of the Kaveri. Kaveri became a big river and began to flow in leaps and bounds, forming whirl pools here and there.When sage Agastya came up after finishing his sandhyavandana, he saw the holy pot on the ground with all its water split and the water was flowing all over the land. He was very much upset. He began to search for Kaveri, but he could not get her. Lord Ganesha and the devas saw the distraught Agastya and they were sorry for his plight. They came to him and said, "O greatsage, Kavera and his daughter Kaveri wanted to help the people of the world and the time has come for it. Now she is flowing as a river. When you changed her into water and kept her in your holy pot, she thought that her father's desire was fulfilled and in a way our plan helped her realise her dream. Here after Kaveri will flow constantly aand supply the people of the south with water and food for ever. She will become a reedeemer of the sins of all."Sage Agastya stood spell bound for some time. When he looked at the majestically flowing Kaveri, she seemed to tell him, Kindly excuse me , I began to flow as a river without your permission." He began to think, "Yes, Kaveri is flowing as a river and she is helping and protecting thousands of people on either side of her course. In fact, she is sanctifying mother earth. AsI help the world in my own way, she is doing the same in her special way. May God bless her." So saying sage Agastya blessed Kaveri and blade good bye to the devas. Like the Ganga matha in the north Kaveri is flowing in the south, doing good to the people. Today the river is cosidered to be very holy.