Text 13
pṛcchatemā latā bāhūn
apy āśliṣṭā vanaspateḥ
nūnaṁ tat-karaja-spṛṣṭā
bibhraty utpulakāny aho
pṛcchata — just ask; imāḥ — from these; latāḥ — creepers; bāhūn — the arms (branches); api — even though; āśliṣṭāḥ — embracing; vanaspateḥ — of the tree; nūnam — certainly; tat — of Him, Kṛṣṇa; kara-ja — by the fingernails; spṛṣṭāḥ — touched; bibhrati — they are bearing; utpulakāni — joyful eruptions on the skin; aho — just see.
Let us ask these creepers about Kṛṣṇa. Even though they are embracing the arms of their husband, this tree, they certainly must have been touched by Kṛṣṇa’s fingernails, since out of joy they are manifesting eruptions on their skin.
The gopīs reasoned that the creepers would not show signs of rapture merely by physical contact with their husband, a tree. Thus the gopīs concluded that although the creepers were embracing the strong limbs of their husband, they must have been touched by Lord Kṛṣṇa as He moved through the forest.