The
importance of this temple was explained to Narada by his father Brahma in theassemblage of
all the Devas.
It is said that the sacred Tulasi Devi was born from the waves of the sacred Amritam in
the Milky Ocean. After attaining Vishnu as her husband, she begged of him to give her the
same status as Mahalakshmi. She wighed that, since Mahalakshmi had the special privilege
of resting on Vishnu's chest, she too should have her place there.
Vishnu replied that by her severe penance Lakshmi
had obtained his heart as her place of residence and that she too should perform a similar
penance. Lakshmi was going to be born as Bhcomi Devi as Markandeya's daughter. Tulasi Devi
shouid go still earlier and remain as a Tulasi plant in the garden where Lakshmi would be
born as a child and Markandeya would have her as his daughter. |
