The Upanishads are a collection of holy texts which form the philosophical basis of Hinduism.
Revolutions soundtrack[]
When Don Davis suggested to the Wachowskis that a text be used by the choir for The Matrix Revolutions' soundtrack, ideally in a dead language, the Wachowskis selected a number of verses from the Upanishads, which reflect the Matrix philosophy.
| Sanskrit | Transliteration | Translation | Source | Soundtrack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| अ' सतो मा स' द्गमय | asato ma sad gamaya | From the unreal (delusion) lead me to the real (truth) | Brihad Aranyaka (1.3.28) | Neodammerung (lines 1 and 2) |
| त' मसो मा ज्यो' तिर्गमय, | tamaso ma jyotir gamaya | From the darkness lead me to the light | Brihad Aranyaka (1.3.28) | Neodammerung (line 3) |
| मृत्यो' र्मामृतं गमये' ति॥ | mrtyor mamrtam gamaya | From death lead me to immortality | Brihad Aranyaka (1.3.28) | Neodammerung (line 4) |
| विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद्वेदोभयँ सह | vidyam cavidyam ca yas tad vedobhayam saha | He that perceives both knowledge together with ignorance | Isha Upanishad (11) | Neodammerung (line 5) |
| अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययाऽमृतमश्नुते | avidyaya mrtyum tirtva vidyayamrtam asnute |
[knows that] with ignorance crosses over death and with knowledge immortality is enjoyed |
Isha Upanishad (11) | Neodammerung (line 6) |
| यस्मिन् द्यौः पृथिवी चान्तरिक्षमोतं | yasmin dyauh prthivi cantariksamotam | In him are woven the sky and the earth and all the regions of the air | Mundaka Upanishad (2.2.5) | Neodammerung (line 7) |
| मनः सह प्राणैश्च सर्वैः | manah saha pranais ca sarvaih | And in him rest the mind and all the powers of life | Mundaka Upanishad (2.2.5) | Neodammerung (line 8) |
| तमेवैकं जानथ आत्मानमन्या वाचो | tam evaikam janatha atmanam anya vacah | Know him as the One and leave aside all other words | Mundaka Upanishad (2.2.5) | Neodammerung (line 9) |
| विमुञ्चथामृतस्यैष सेतुः | vimuncatha amrtasya esah setuh | He is the bridge of immortality | Mundaka Upanishad (2.2.5) | Neodammerung (line 10) |
| इन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनो मनसः सत्त्वमुत्तमम् | indriyebhyah param mano manasah sattvam uttamam | Beyond the senses is the mind, and beyond the mind is reason, its essence | Katha Upanishad (6.7) | Neodammerung (line 11) |
| सत्त्वादधि महानात्मा महतोऽव्यक्तमुत्तमम् | sattvad adhi mahan atma mahato vyaktam uttamam | Beyond reason is the Spirit in man, and beyond this is the Spirit of the Universe, the evolver of all. | Katha Upanishad (6.7) | Neodammerung (line 12) |
| यदा पञ्चावतिष्ठन्ते ज्ञानानि मनसा सह | yada pancavatisthante jnanani manasa saha | When the five senses and the mind are still | Katha Upanishad (6.10) | Neodammerung (line 13) |
| बुद्धिश्च न विचेष्टते तामाहुः परमां गतिम् | buddhis ca na vicestate tam ahuh paramam gatim | And reason itself rests in silence, then begins the Path supreme. | Katha Upanishad (6.10) | Neodammerung (line 14) |
| Ya ya ya ya yada yadaya Ya ya ya ya yada yada yada yada Yada yada yada yada yada | So on and so forth, so on and so forth, so on and so forth | Neodammerung (line 15) | ||
| भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिश्छिद्यन्ते सर्वसंशयाः | bhidyate hrdayagranthis chidyante sarvasamsayah | And when he is seen in his immanence and transcendence, then the ties that have bound the heart are unloosened | Mundaka Upanishad (2.2.8) | Neodammerung (line 16) |
| क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि तस्मिन् दृष्टे परावरे | ksiyante casya karmani tasmin drste paravare | The doubts of the mind vanish, and the law of Karma works no more | Mundaka Upanishad (2.2.8) | Neodammerung (line 17) |