Shloka 43
यावदेतत् प्रलिप्तं ते गात्रेषु मधुसूदन । अतो मृत्युभयं नास्ति यावदिच्छसि चाच्युत
yāvad etat praliptaṃ te gātreṣu madhusūdana | ato mṛtyu-bhayaṃ nāsti yāvad icchasi cācyuta ||
Vāyu dit : «Ô Madhusūdana, tant que cet enduit restera répandu sur tes membres, tu n’auras aucune crainte de la mort par des blessures en ces parties. Ô Acyuta, tu demeureras ici sans mourir aussi longtemps que tu le voudras.»
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the idea that divine protection can suspend ordinary human vulnerability: fear of death is removed not by arrogance but by a granted safeguard, limited by a condition (the coating remains) and by the recipient’s will (as long as he desires).
Vāyu addresses Kṛṣṇa with honorific epithets and declares a boon: wherever the protective substance has been applied on Kṛṣṇa’s limbs, injuries there will not cause death, and Kṛṣṇa may remain deathless for as long as he chooses.