Obama in Hiroshima: When Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb, quoted Bhagavad Gita

Western scientists are often drawn to Hinduism. That CERN, the world’s largest particle physics lab, houses a statue of Lord Shiva performing the ‘cosmic dance’ which is believed to symbolise the basis of all existence, gives credence to the notion.

So as Obama visits Hiroshima and the world mourns the use of the most destructive weapon ever made by mankind, one also remembers a time when the father of the atomic bomb, J Robert Oppenheimer quoted the Gita saying: “We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty, and, to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another."

Interestingly, Oppenheimer was a student of Arthur Ryder, a Sanskrit professor, and was interested in the Gita. He has often held it up as one of the books that shaped his life’s philosophy.

In 1933, when Oppenheimer was in Berkeley — prior to heading the atomic bomb project which was called the Manhattan Project — he became a student of Ryder through whom he developed an interest in the Gita and read it in Sanskrit. Of course, there are varying accounts of what Oppenheimer actually said but some claim he was an ardent enthusiast of Sanskrit from his graduate days.

That a Jewish scientist, born in what was a secular Jewish philosophy, read this text shows the impact the Gita has on individuals. Quite like Arjun, Oppenheimer seemed traumatised by his capabilities and told Truman, "Mr. President, I feel I have blood on my hands. that he felt he had ‘blood on my hands." When they met at the end of the war, Truman said, "I told him the blood was on my hands." Truman later told Undersecretary of State Dean Acheson, "I don't want to see that son-of-a-bitch in this office ever again.”