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

nammAzhvAr describes bhagavAn as "One Whose nature it is to protect" -
kAkkum iyalvinan kaNNa perumAn (tiruvAi. 2.2.9).
All acts of bhagavAn are directed towards protection of the jIva-s. His
swallowing the whole Universe with all beings at the time of pralaya, is only for
the purpose of protecting them and giving them new bodies in the next cycle
of creation. When a being meets with 'death', it is only a means of removing
the old, aged body, and giving the jIva a new body. Thus, bhagavAn is Lifegiver
in is acts of creation, protection and destruction.
SrI BhaTTar's vyAkhyAnam is - sva-hastena hananAt grAham api
gandharvatvena jIvayan - jIvanaH - Even though bhagavAn slew the crocodile
for its apacAram, He restored the crocodile to its former form as a
gandharva, and so He is jIvanaH - the Life-Giver. SrI BhaTTar gives support
from SrI vishNu purANam:
sa hi devala Sapena hUhUH gandharava-sattamaH |
grAhavatmam agamat kRshNAt vadham prApya divam gataH ||
67
(VP 69)
"The foremost among gandharva-s, Hoohoo by name, had become a crocodile by
the curse of Sage devala. Later, when the crocodile met its death at the hands
of kRshNa, he went back to svarga". Even though all we superficially note is
that bhagavAn slew the crocodile, in fact He restored his life as a gandharva.
Whatever bhagavAn does, including the slaying of the rAkshasa-s in His
different incarnations, is truly for the benefit of the rAkshasa-s who are
killed by Him.
SrI baladeva vidyAbhUshaN's interpretation is along the same lines as that of
SrI BhaTTar - grAhamapi gandharvatbvena jIvati iti jIvanaH.
SrI v.v. rAmAnujan refers us to tiruviruttam of nammAzhvAr, where bhagavAn
is referred to as "uyir aLippAn" - "Life Giver" (pASuram 1).
SrI Sa'nkara's vyAkhyAnam is - "sarvAH prajAH prANa rUpeNa jIvayati iti
jIvanaH" - He Who sustains all life forms by giving them vital airs (prANa), is
sadagopan.org