Quote by J. Robert Oppenheimer
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.
Summary
This quote reflects the feelings of those involved in the development and deployment of the atomic bomb. It highlights the profound impact and significance of this new powerful weapon. While some individuals reacted with laughter or tears, the majority remained silent, displaying a deeply contemplative response. The quote also alludes to a passage in the Hindu scripture Bhagavad-Gita, where Vishnu reveals himself as the embodiment of destruction. This implies that those involved in the creation of the bomb felt a similar sense of responsibility and recognition of the immense destructive capability they had unleashed upon the world.
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