This story about who is the greatest Devtaa among the three Dev is from Bhaagvat Puraan. Once many Muni gathered together to do a Yagya and a discussion broke among them that who was the greatest Devtaa among the three - Brahmaa, Vishnu and Shiv. After a long discussion when they could not reach on any conclusion, they put this responsibility on Maharshi Bhrigu to find out as who was the greatest Devtaa among the three. Bhrigu accepted this and started his journey.

First he went to Brahmaa Jee. Brahmaa Jee was sitting in his court and was enjoying. He did not pay any attention to him. Neither Bhrigu Jee greeted him nor he prayed him. At this he felt that Brahmaa Jee was illuminating with his own Tej. Brahmaa Jee got angry. But when Brahmaa Jee saw that that was his own son only, he suppressed his anger.

From there Bhrigu Jee went to Kailaash Parvat where Shankar Jee lives. When Shankar Jee saw that my brother Bhrigu has come, He spread his arms to hug him. But Bhrigu Jee did not welcome his hug and said - "You disobeyed the world and Ved, that is why I don't hug you." Hearing this Shankar Jee got extremely angry and he wanted to kill Bhrigu Jee with his Trishool, but Satee Jee requested him not to do so and pacified him.

Now Bhrigu Jee went to Vishnu Dhaam - Vaikunth Lok. There Bhagavaan was resting putting His head in Lakshmee Jee's lap. Bhrigu hit His chest with his foot. Bhagavaan got up immediately from His bed and greeted Muni bowing His head and said - "Brahman, You are welcome. Please sit on this Aasan and take some rest. I didn't know that you were coming, that is why I could not welcome you properly. Please forgive me. Muni, Your lotus feet are very soft (He caressed them saying thus). The water from your feet makes even Teerth holy, so you make us holy. My all Paap are washed away with the touch of your foot. Now Lakshmee will stay here on my chest marked by your foot." When Bhagavaan spoke thus seriously, then Bhrigu Jee got very satisfied. Tears of satisfaction came out of his eyes and silently he came back from there. He told everything to everybody. Since then they regarded Vishnu the greatest, they felt very satisfied. His favorite figure is Sat and His Isht Dev are Braahman. His Gun Maayaa has made three figures - Raakshas, Asur, Devtaa. Among them His Sat figure is the means to attain Him."