Indian Evolution For Matrix Revolution
Even as Indian viewers ready for the release of The Matrix Revolution, the mega movie reinforces the trilogy's connection with Indian philosophy
Times of India, Bombay Times, November 2003. Re-Edited by Lúcio Mascarenhas.
Destiny. How else does one explain that
The Matrix Revolutions, the final part of the block-buster trilogy, is all set to be released in India on the same day—November 5—as it hits theatres worldwide?
Destiny. How else does one explain that, if the first firm in the series—
The Matrix—was based on the Indian philosophy of
maya (the material/physical world as "illusion"), the sequel—
The Matrix Reloaded—reaffirms the Indian
concept of free will versus fate, and now,
The Matrix Revolution deals with the final conflict: the battle between good and evil, which forms the core consciousness of Indian thought?
Destiny. This is what brings
Neo,
Morpheus who 'awakens' him and
Trinity to save the last bastion of mankind, the city of Zion, from machines in
The Matrix Revolutions, even as Neo, the Chosen One, chooses love over mankind. "Despite the concept of
karma, Neo still suffers from the chief of human failings
— emotions. But if it is Neo's fate to choose love, how is it a choice? A parallel can be drawn with Indian philosophy, which emphasizes on fate and, even when a man makes a choice, it is fated that he will do so," says sociologist Ashish Nandy.
Indian thought also explains how a figure who has been granted a status similar to God (Neo is asked by the inhabitants of Zion to bless their children) can go on a killing spree without batting an eyelid in
The Matrix Revolutions. "This reference is to Arjuna's hesitation as the Mahabharata War is about to start. When Arjuna sees his elders and brothers before him, the warrior loses his strength. But Krishna explains, 'do not fear to kill.'" The concept of the Indian time zone is established in the trilogy. In
The Matrix Reloaded, Morpheus reminds Zion that they are sill standing even after 100 years of fighting, but the Architect adds that the current Neo is the sixth one to navigate the Matrix. This leads to the implication that when Neo makes the wrong choice, the whole process begins again. "This means that existence is an unending cycle of creation, growth and death. The concept is similar to the Indian idea of
"yoga"s (or "epochs")," explains sociologist Imtiyaz Ahmed. In the
Matrix trilogy, Trinity escapes classification, with her relationship with Neo adding to the confusion. "Hinduism explains how the
savior can copulate with Trinity. Hindu deities typically have a consort: Shiva has Parvati; and Vishnu has Lakshmi, and their relationship is
often a physical one," says Sudharshanacharya Maharaj.
Destiny. How else does one explain how both a modern-day move trilogy such as
The Matrix and a philosophy as ancient as Indian though find common ground and uncommon acceptance among the world at large? But the, if everything is
maya, no explanations are required.
COMMENTS
By Lúcio Mascarenhas.
It is obvious that the
Matrix series is based on the Hindu Advaita heresy. It is also obvious that the series deliberately mix in blasphemy against, and degradation of, Christianity ("Trinity", "Zion") with this Advaita heresy, as being the basic storyline of these series. Yet I have not seen any objection as yet from any who purports to be Christian to this anti-Christian movies. Why?
