In Sahasranāmastotra (Sahasranamastotra) of God Viṣṇu (Vishnu) the word anala has been uttered twice as his name. The meaning of the word ‘ana‘ is life. In Sanskrit, the transitive verbal root la means ‘to give’ or ‘to accept’. Parameśvara (Parameshwara, roughly meaning the Supreme One) gives life to his own creations, or receives within himself the living beings created by him. Thus his appellation as Anala — anān prāṇān ātmatvena lātīti jīvaḥ analaḥ.

Alternatively, the word anala may be explained from a different conception. The Sanskrit verbal root ‘ṇal‘ (nal) means smell. The word anala can also stem from the ‘ṇal‘ verbal root signifying smell, with a precedence of naṅa (nana). Śaṅkaracārya (Shankaracharya), the annotator, quotes from the Upanishadic texts, the formless Supreme Being, as described in Upaniṣadas (Upanishadas) has no features like taste or smell — agandhamarasam. This shapeless form of god can also be called Anala. God Viṣṇu is thought to be one and the same as the Supreme Man, and therefore, he is known as Anala as well—

ṇalatergandhavācino naṅpūrvād bā
                                  ‘agandhamarasam’ iti sruteḥ.

In Sanskrit, the word ‘alaṃ‘ (alam) is a synonym for conclusion or limit. One the limits of whose gigantic, endless form cannot be measured—this is also another reason behind Viṣṇu’s appellation as Anala—

na alaṃ paryāptamasya vidyata iti vānalaḥ.

Again, he is immensely powerful and the possessor of all riches. Therefore there is no end to his power or wealth. In this sense also he is referred to as Anala—

alamparyāpti śaktisampadāṃ nāsya
                                                        vidyata iti analaḥ.