“Oppenheimer misquoted Bhagavad Gita,” explains mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik; decodes “I have become death” quote

Renowned writer and mythologist, Devdutt Pattanaik, shed light on the deep connection theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer had with the Bhagavad Gita. Oppenheimer famously quoted a verse from the Gita, expressing his feelings after the successful Trinity test, which led to the creation of the world's first atomic bombs.

The quote, "If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst into the sky, that would be like the splendour of the Mighty One… I have become death, the destroyer of worlds," has been associated with Oppenheimer's contemplation of the destructive power of the atomic bomb. Initially, he celebrated the achievement, including the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but later experienced a moral dilemma about the consequences of his invention.

In a chat with Indian Express, Pattanaik discussed it and asserted, “I did some research on Oppenheimer, and I had never come across this line. I had never heard this line. Someone said it was chapter 11, verse 32, which really says ‘kaal-asmi’, which means ‘I am time, destroyer of the world’. So, his translation itself is wrong. It is not ‘I am death’. It is time, time is the destroyer of the world.”

Pattanaik said that Oppenheimer was likely in a ‘dharam sankat (ethical dilemma)’ when he carried out the test, and said that humanity has a history of interpreting religious texts differently. He suggested that Oppenheimer, coming from a Judeo-Christian background, might have sought spiritual solace in this verse of Gita. He speculated that an Indian member of Oppenheimer's team might have recommended the Gita to him, leading to his exploration of the sacred text.

Also Read: Christopher Nolan says Oppenheimer is his longest film to date: ‘It’s kissing three hours’