Vishnu Sahasra Naamam-Vol V-Rr-edit.pub - Ahobilavalli

nAma is derived is tRR – plavanasantaraNayoH – to cross over, to swim. He who
helps the jIva-s that are deeply immersed in the ocean of samsAra, to cross
this ocean.
For nAma 340, SrI BhaTTar gives the interpretation "Savior" - sarva samsAra
bhayAt tArayati iti tAraH - One Who protects us from the ocean of samsAra.
He gives a quote from the atharva Siras in support:
garbha janma jarA maraNa samsAra sAgaramahA bhayAt tArayatiiti |
tasmAt tAraH |
"He makes all cross over the great fears of the ocean of samsAra comprising
conception, birth, old age, and death. Therefore, He is called tAraH".
Note that bhagavAn Himself is beyond all these fears, since He is never born
(a-jAyamAnaH), He is beyond aging (a-jaraH), and beyond death (a-maraH).
SrI v.v. rAmAnujan gives reference to tiruma'ngai AzhvAr's periya tirumozhi,
where the guNa of bhagavAn signified by the nAma tAraH is praised:
nandA naragattu azhundA vagai nALumentAi!
tonDar Anavarkku in aruL SeivAi …
165
(periya tiru. 11.8.10)
"You Who help Your devotees by making sure they do not get submerged in the
hell-like experience of samsAra".
Because samsAra is compared to an ocean, and bhagavAn helps cross this, He is
traditionally compared to a ferry. SrI kRshNan refers us to ANDAL's
reference to Him as the ferry to cross all miseries: nALumtunbak kaDal pukku
vaikuntan enRu Or tONi peRAdu uzhalginREn (nAcci.tiru. 5.4). SrI kRshNan
also refers us to the divya dESam by name tiru nAvAi (literally meaning "The
Blessed Ship"), where Lord mukundan gives moksham to the devotees who
worship Him.
Drawing from an example from SrI KRshNan, all that a measly worm has to do
to cross from one peak to another peak in its lifetime, is to climb on a lion that
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