J. Robert Oppenheimer: 'I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.'

The profound moment when science met conscience. Step into the mind of the excellent physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who spoke these haunting words after witnessing the first successful test of the atomic bomb.

In a 1965 television broadcast discussing the aftermath of the Trinity Test, J. Robert Oppenheimer said, "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent." Recalling a verse from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita, where Vishnu assumes his multi-armed form to impress upon the price the gravity of his duty, stating, "Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds. I suppose we all thought that, one way or another."

The quote derives from the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient Hindu text containing 700 verses, dating back to the first millennium BCE. The scripture revolves around a conversation between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna, an incarnation o the deity Vishnu. Arjuna grapples with reluctance to engage in a concept without an exact English equivalent. At one juncture in the scripture, Arjuna implores Krishna to reveal his divine form, often described as a "multi-armed form."

One translation of this moment in the text portrays what Arjuna witnesses as follows: "If hundreds of thousands of suns rose up at once into the sky, they might resemble the effulgence of the Supreme Person in that universal form."

This vision of the suns going up into the sky helps understand why it may create thoughts of witnessing a nuclear explosion.

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[SamStanell]

This man probably never had another good nights sleep for the rest of his life

[kkhagerty]

The literal embodiment of “I’ve won, but at what cost?”

[PlagueDemon]

"When death comes for me he will not kill me. He will only show me what I have done"

[TheyWantMeGone]

Imagine bullying this kid and later in life you see him on TV saying "Now I am become death the destroyer of worlds"

[hands_n]

The Microphone and audio quality of the time makes this speech three hundred times more terrifying

[phantasmagorics]

Every time I see this quote being used is in the context of someone drunk on power, triumphant, when in reality, it is said with the most defeated, burdened, sad gaze I've ever seen in a man's eyes

[MitchellCFlint]

the "few people laughed, few people cried; most people were silent" part is VERY underrated

[drany]

Canadians after they accidentally bump your shoulder:

[randomuser]

Imagine being a scientist. You've dedicated your entire career to a thing, and once it finally happens, the results mortify you.

[mattmoves]

I have never seen anyone more dead inside than this guy. He was still functioning and alive but his eyes were empty. Sad.

[Guts-the-Berserker]

The moment when a scientist's thirst for knowledge and discovery turns to sorrow and regret.

[Loneliness._]

After this, Oppenheimer fell into a coma while the two greatest country powers of the moment threatened to destroy each other, and died thinking that he had destroyed the world...

[FluffyBunny]

If you ever have regrets, just imagine being this man.

[chrisl]

Lmao this got copyright claimed by Linkin Park, YouTube's claim system is out of control

[SomeGuy-lrms]

When you see the quote “I am become death” it sounds like someone is becoming a master
But when you HEAR the actual man saying it you can see how regretful and ashamed he is for creating something powerful

[deeceex]

If you look closely at his eyes, you really see how haunted he looks talking about this. It's black and white, but I can still sort of see tears welling up. This man had carried the weight of what he created for years and it shows.

[ProjektTaku]

Man legit invented not only a city level weapon, but invented the first apology video and did it better than anyone to come after it.

[inquiry]

Robert Oppenheimer has been immortalized, but his eyes have long been dead.

[morbidcurios]

I really wished they had put this clip in the Oppenheimer movie, before the credits so it would really sink in with the audience the true gravity of his words.

[RobKaiser_SQuest]

For context, Prince Arjuna's "duty" which "he should do" is to protect the land he administrates from an invading people who include his own kin, peers and mentors. I feel like this passage had already been resonating with Oppenheimer before the famous line would take on new meaning to him.