ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham
aśvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam
chandāṁsi yasya parṇāni
yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit
śrī bhagavān uvāca-the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; ūrdhva-mūlam-with roots above; adhaḥ-downwards; śākham-branches; aśvattham-banyan tree; prāhuḥ-said; avyayam-eternal; chandāṁsi-Vedic hymns; yasya-of which; parṇāni-the leaves; yaḥ-anyone; tam-that; veda-knows; saḥ-he; veda-vit-the knower of the Vedas.
The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree which 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.
After the discussion of the importance of bhakti-yoga, one may question, "What about the Vedas?" It is explained in this chapter that the purpose of Vedic study is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore one who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, who is engaged in devotional service, already knows the Vedas.