śrī-bhagavān uvāca
aho amī deva-varāmarārcitaḿ
pādāmbujaḿ te sumanaḥ-phalārhaṇam
namanty upādāya śikhābhir ātmanas
tamo-'pahatyai taru-janma yat-kṛtam
sri-bhagavan uvaca -- Lord Sri Krishna said; aho -- oh; ami -- these; deva-vara -- O best of Lords (Sri Balarama); amara -- by the immortal demigods; arcitam -- worshiped; pada-ambujam -- to the lotus feet; te -- of You; sumanah -- of flowers; phala -- and fruits; arhanam -- offerings; namanti -- they are bowing down; upadaya -- presenting; sikhabhih -- with their heads; atmanah -- their own; tamah -- darkness of ignorance; apahatyai -- for the purpose of eliminating; taru-janma -- their birth as trees; yat -- by which ignorance; kritam -- created.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O greatest of Lords, just see how these trees are bowing their heads at Your lotus feet, which are worshipable by the immortal demigods. The trees are offering You their fruits and flowers to eradicate the dark ignorance that has caused their birth as trees.
The trees of Vrindavana were thinking that because of past offenses they had now taken birth as trees and, being immovable, could not accompany Lord Krishna in His wanderings throughout the Vrindavana area. In fact, all the creatures of Vrindavana, including the trees and cows, were great souls who could personally associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But because of ecstatic sentiments of separation, the trees considered themselves in ignorance and thus tried to purify themselves by bowing down at the lotus feet of Krishna and Balarama. Lord Krishna understanding their mentality, simultaneously glanced at them with affection and praised their devotional service before His older brother, Balarama.
