śrī-bhagavān uvāca
ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham
aśvatthaḿ prāhur avyayam
chandāḿsi yasya parṇāni
yas taḿ veda sa veda-vit

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; ūrdhva-mūlam — with roots above; adhaḥ — downwards; śākham — branches; aśvattham — a banyan tree; prāhuḥ — is said; avyayam — eternal; chandāḿsi — the Vedic hymns; yasya — of which; parṇāni — the leaves; yaḥ — anyone who; tam — that; veda — knows; saḥ — he; veda-vit — the knower of the Vedas.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.