Bhrigu was one of Brahma’s mind-born sons and a prajapati, one of the first fathers. He was the officiating priest at Daksha’s great sacrifice to which Shiva and Sati were not invited. He sided with Daksha in humilating Shiva and as a consequence, one of Shiva’s ganas chopped off his flowing beard.
Bhrigu had an eye for beautiful women.
He spotted a maid who was bethrothed to a demon. He was moved by her beauty and married her. The demon was distraught and approached Agni for help. Agni helped him find the maid and had her carried home. Brigu was furious and cursed Agni saying that each time that he, Agni,lost control and got angry he would devour everything, Agni remonstrated. He had only spoken the truth and done his duty.The curse for not doing one’s duty was already severe - seven preceding and seven succeeding generations would have been cast
into the nether world. He added that he too had the powers to curse but he respected the sage as the mouthpiece of the gods. Also, at the sacrifices, it is the sage who has to pour the ghee over Agni. How then could he curse him? Brigu heeded the reason in this and tempered the curse saying that Agni would also purify all that passed through him
Brighu also did a good and kind act. Divodasa, the king of Kasi was defeated in a battle. His whole family was slaughtered by one Vitahavya. The unhappy king went to the sage Bharadvajya who conducted a sacrifice for him. The result was that an heir, Pratardana was born to him. Pratardana vowed to take revenge on Vitahavya. Vitahavya fled to the hermitage of Brighu for protection. Pratardana approached Brighu and asked him to give up his enemy. Brighu replied that there are no warriors in a hermitage. Pratardana touched his feet for this learning and went on to become a good and kind king of Kasi and to become a chanter of the Vedas.
Brighu was also very caring about his fellow sages. Once an evil king Nahusha obtained superhuman powers such that at his one glance people were reduced to becoming his slaves. Nahusha went to the sage Agastya and soon had him bound hand and foot. He then tied Agastya to his chariot and kicked him to make him move. Agastya called for help and Brighu heard. He hid in Agastya’s hair to avoid Nahusha’s burning and evil gaze.Unseen by Nahusha, he pronounced a great curse and Nahusha fell from the heavens, an ugly brown snake on earth, to be hated by men for all time.