Materials for the Study of the Early History of the Vaishnava Sect c8.38

c8.38

The fourteenth Kāṇḍa of this Brāhmaṇa, at the beginning of its first part contains a legend of a contention among the gods, in which Viṣṇu came off victorious, whence it became customary to say, "Vishnu is the most excellent of the gods." The gods sent forth ants to gnaw the bowstring of Vishnu, who stood, resting his head on the end of the bow; the string snapping and springing upwards severed his head from his body. The head fell with (the sound) 'ghrin;' and on falling it became yonder sun (Aditya).¹