Long, long ago, there was an assembly of great sages on the bank of the river Sarasvaté who performed a great sacrifice of the name Satra. In such assemblies, the great sages present usually discuss Vedic subject matters and philosophical topics, and in this particular meeting the following question was raised: The three predominating deities of this material world, namely, Lord Brahmä, Lord Visnu and Lord Çiva, are directing all the affairs of this cosmos, but who among them is the Supreme? After much discussion on this question, the great sage named Bhågu, the son of Lord Brahmä, was deputed to test all three predominating deities and report to the assembly as to who is the greatest.

Being thus deputed, the great sage Bhågu Muni first of all went to his father’s residence in Brahmaloka. The three deities are the controllers of the three material qualities, namely the qualities of goodness, passion and ignorance. The plan decided upon by the sages was for Bhågu to test which of the predominating deities possesses the quality of goodness in full. Therefore, when Bhågu Muni reached his father, Lord Brahmä, because he wanted to test whether he had the quality of goodness, he purposely did not offer his respects to his father, either by offering obeisances or by offering prayers. It is the duty of a son or a disciple to offer respects and recite suitable prayers when he approaches his father or spiritual master. But Bhågu Muni purposely failed to offer respects, just to see Lord Brahmä’s reaction to this negligence. Lord Brahmä was very angry at his son’s impudence, and he showed signs which definitely proved this to be so. He was even prepared to condemn Bhågu by cursing him, but because Bhågu was his son, Lord Brahmä controlled his anger with his great intelligence. This means that although the quality of passion was prominent in Lord Brahmä, he had the power to control it. Lord Brahmä’s anger and his controlling his anger are likened to fire and water. Water is produced from fire, but fire can be extinguished with water. Similarly, although Lord Brahmä was very angry due to his quality of passion, he could still control his passion because Bhågu Muni was his son.