Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11, Verse 2
भवाप्ययौ हि भूतानां श्रुतौ विस्तरशो मया | त्वत्तः कमलपत्राक्ष माहात्म्यमपि चाव्ययम् ||
bhavāpyayau hi bhūtānāṁ śrutau vistaraśo mayā tvattaḥ kamala-patra-akṣa māhātmyam api cāvyayam
O lotus-eyed Krishna, I have heard from You in detail about the origin and dissolution of beings, and also about Your imperishable greatness.
Arjuna acknowledges what he's learned. 'Bhavāpyayau hi bhūtānām'—the origin (bhava) and dissolution (apyayau) of all beings (bhūtānām). 'Śrutau vistaraśo mayā'—I have heard (śrutau) from You in detail (vistaraśaḥ). 'Tvattaḥ kamala-patra-akṣa'—from You, O lotus-eyed one, addressing Krishna with reverence. 'Māhātmyam api cāvyayam'—and also Your imperishable (avyayam) greatness (māhātmyam). Arjuna has understood the teachings intellectually—he knows about creation, dissolution, and Krishna's eternal nature. But knowing about something isn't the same as seeing it. This sets up his request: he wants to witness the cosmic form directly, not just understand it conceptually. The gap between understanding and direct vision is what leads to his request in the next verse.