Why did Oppenheimer Quote Bhagavad Gita?
Firstly The famous speech of Robert Oppenheimer to the American Philosophical Society where he mentioned Hinduism in some context
One may even remember the concern among the learned, that some of the fundamental developments of physics; the theory of relativity, and even more, the ideas of complementarity and their far-reaching implications on the relations of common sense and of scientific discovery, their enforced reminder, familiar to Hindu culture but rather foreign to that of Europe
Taken from Oppenhiemer speech delivered on delivered 16 November 1945, University of Pennsylvania, PA
It is embedded in very human nature to take shelter or blame or keep weight on others to enjoy a guilt-free pass for the remaining life. Unfortunately, the same thing applied to Scientist Robert Oppenheimer.
Now the verse of Srimad Bhagwat Gita which was misused ( purpose to misled) out of context to alter the facts.
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो
लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्त: |
ऋतेऽपि त्वां न भविष्यन्ति सर्वे
येऽवस्थिता: प्रत्यनीकेषु योधा: || 32||
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
kālo ’smi loka-kṣhaya-kṛit pravṛiddho
lokān samāhartum iha pravṛittaḥ
ṛite ’pi tvāṁ na bhaviṣhyanti sarve
ye ’vasthitāḥ pratyanīkeṣhu yodhāḥ
In response to Arjun’s question regarding who he is, Shree Krishna reveals his nature as all-powerful Time, the destroyer of the universe. The word kāla is derived from kalayati, which is synonymous with gaṇayati, meaning “to take count of.” All events in nature get buried in time. Time counts and controls the lifespan of all beings. It will determine when great personalities like Bheeshma, Dronacharya, and Karn will meet their end. It will destroy the enemy army arrayed on the battlefield even without Arjun’s participation in the fight because the Lord wants it to happen as a part of his grand scheme for the world. If the warriors are already as good as dead, then why should Arjun fight? Shree Krishna explains this in the next verse.
here God Sri Krishna speaks of the nature of Brahma and its universe to reply to Arjuna to the main question “Who is God”
In this ancient scripture, Arjuna seeks counsel from Lord Krishna, asking to witness his universal form. Krishna obliges and reveals the infinite form of Brahma which is not easy for earthly people to even think.
The act committed by Oppenheimer for his state or group of winning states is a matter of debate and in no way unveils the infinite form of Brahma. How did he connect his act of devastation to the verse of the Bhagwat Gita is still unknown.
It is said he needed something to convince himself before this act of mass destruction. it was not easy for him and he needed someone superior to quash his sins.
Why did Oppenheimer quote Bhagavad Gita?
Oppenheimer’s interpretation of the verse is as follows: “If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the mighty one,” referring to the moment in the New Mexico desert where the first atomic bomb was successfully tested.
In Sanatan Dharma, which perceives time non-linearly, the divine is not only involved in creation but also in dissolution. In verse 32, Krishna utters the famous line, where “death” can be understood as “world-destroying time,” emphasizing that everything is ultimately in the hands of the divine.
According to Bhagwat Gita, Arjuna’s duty as a soldier is to fight without attachment to the results, leaving the outcome to Krishna. His faith in Krishna will save his soul.
However, Oppenheimer seems to have struggled with achieving this peace of mind. He felt the weight of the atomic bomb’s consequences deeply and appeared unable to believe in the idea of an immortal soul or the illusion of death.
In contrast, Arjuna could be indifferent to war because he believed in the eternal nature of souls, regardless of the physical outcome. whereas bombs were invented and used as weapons of mass destruction to change the result of war. The action was attached to the result.
Oppenheimer’s inability to accept the notion of an immortal soul seemed to burden him, as he couldn’t find comfort in the idea that destruction might ultimately be an illusion. This inner conflict stayed with him, distinguishing him from Arjuna’s realization and willingness to embrace his duty in the face of war.
Not once but many times the holy scriptures of the Holy Vedas, Bhagwat Gita, and Upanishads were used with unfair intentions. The purpose of these scriptures is to make one know and understand the reality of life and certainly not to be involved in war, crimes, and acts of mass destruction.
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