Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3754

c9.3754

In the evening, the fierce giants called the Mandehas wish to eat the Sun. Prajāpati had given them a curse that though their bodies would not perish they would daily meet with death. So there is a fight between these giants and the sun daily in the evening. At that time the Brahmins recite the spell Gāyatrī with the Brahma-pervading syllable ‘OM’, and throw up water. This water becomes the Vajra weapon, and burns the giant.