Part VIII: War and peace

1.

Einstein was a man of peace. Peace is the divine fulfilment of the enlightened sound-life. In this prophetic utterance, Einstein assuages humanity’s pangs, ameliorates humanity’s frustrations and awakens in humanity a new hope-dawn and fulfilment-noon: “Mankind is now approaching an era in which peace treaties will not only be recorded on paper but will also become inscribed in the hearts of men.”

On another occasion, Einstein’s prophetic utterance was almost diametrically opposite. It, too, was founded upon his own experiences while journeying along earth-roads to Heaven-goals. The frustrated, bewildered, heartbroken scientist offers us this deplorable devastating yet undeniable statement: “As long as there will be man, there will be wars.”

This world is not wanting in critics. Some critics or wiseacres and fools accused Einstein of bringing about the destructive release of atomic energy. But he vehemently denied it. “I do not consider myself the father of the release of atomic energy. My part in it was quite indirect. I did not, in fact, foresee that it would be released in my time. I believed only that it was theoretically possible.” The seer-scientist told the world, moreover, that the mere discovery of a nuclear world could not cause destruction. “The discovery of nuclear chain reaction need not bring about the destruction of mankind any more than did the discovery of matches… To have security against atomic bombs… we have to prevent war.”

He never foresaw that his great discovery would be misused to such an extent that the world would suffer an unforgettable loss. If there is a choice between the tyranny of world government and the most powerful destruction-bomb, Einstein revealed, “I fear the bomb more.”

The giver of wisdom and the lover of humanity in Einstein went far beyond human thoughts and ideas. “The first atomic bomb destroyed more than the city of Hiroshima. It also exploded our inherited, outdated political ideas,” he said.