The Popol Vuh Contains Aspects of Maya Moral Code - Essay Example

English, Essay Topic: The Popol Vuh The Popol Vuh contains aspects of Maya moral Proper behavior is outlined, as well as improper. Give examples of improper moral behavior. This story is the description of a specific event relating to a character as mentioned within the Popal Vuh. The name of the character is Zipacna. The contents of the tale are within the strict perimeters of the science of astronomy. Zipacna is the eldest “son of Seven Macaw.”(Orozco n. p.) He is supposed to be the creator of the mountains. When he is taking bath on the riverbank, four hundred boys happen to pass by pulling a log meant for their residential abode. They have cut a tree for certain structural additions in the hut. Zipacna met the four hundred boys and offered to take the log to their hut all by himself, straightaway to the mountain-top. The boys were alarmed at his physical strength and instead of expressing gratitude, hatched a conspiracy to kill him. They were so jealous of his physical prowess. They decided to dig a hole and throw him there. After digging up to some depth, the boys requested him to go down on the plea that they were unable to dig further to remove the dirt. He responded to their request and went deep, but realized that he would be killed and he dug another hole beside, for his safety. When the hole was deep enough, they engaged him in some futile conversation and at the appropriate time, the boys pushed the wooden log into the hole and believed that it was the end of Zipacna. As soon as the boys saw the ants swarming over the hole, they thought ants were enjoying the meal of the decayed flesh of Zipacna. Zipacna outsmarted them in that area also, and misled them. He “cut the hair of his head and chews off his nails” (Orozco n. p.) to feed the ants. The boys were so happy at the success of their plot that after three days they got drunk heavily, and remained in a state of high intoxication and lost consciousness. That was the right time for Zipacna to hit back and he brought down the hut and they were all crushed and flattened. Not one of them was saved. It was believed that they all became part of the constellation named Hundrath. The moral of the story is how the proper behavior of Zipacna of helping the four hundred boys is repaid by improper behavior by the four hundred boys, by hatching a plan to kill him, and how this time, Zipacna repays them in the same coin by pulling down their hut to finish them all. The boys suffer for the evil deed and paid with their lives and died an inglorious death. On the first reading, this story does not seem to possess any hidden meaning. However when properly decoded and the true interpretation is made, one can come to the conclusion “ that the ancient Maya were able to derive an orbital period value for the Earth tropical year to an extreme level of accuracy, and also a value for the time cycle that captures recurring synodic conjunctions between the Earth and Mercury.” (Orozco n. p.)They explained the harmony in the calendar system. The story is a metaphor of how to track successive Earth-Mercury conjunctions. The mention of four hundred boys is a significant number. Zipacna represents one solar year. Four hundred boys represent four hundred days. Their waiting period above the ground to put the pole into the shaft indicates a four hundred day correction. So, one should approach the mythological stories of the Mayans with the knowledge that they are based on scientific truth, and the results obtained are mathematically correct. The details in the Popol Vuh story have a distinct astronomical accuracy and the mysticism articulated in the story is verifiable though scientific calculations. The leap years come in calculations once in 4 years. It has the impact on the tropical year of Planet Earth and will have repercussions on its accurate value about its duration; therefore corrections of one day to the formula governing the leap year once in 128 years are necessary. The accuracy of the conclusions astounds the modern mathematicians and scientists, as they are based on the strange procedures practiced by Mayans. Their simple fable is comparable to a well-researched scientific paper. 2. Analysis of the Popol Vuh demonstrates that it provides a map of the cosmos. In this sense, what does the ballgame played by Hunahpu and Xbalanque represent? The success of the war was believed to be on account of the support of the gods of the planet Venus. “This ritual ball game is representative of the earliest myths and legends of the Maya. In the Popol Vuh, the ritual drama of the brothers Hun Hunahpu (One Flower) and Vucub Hunahpu (Seven Flower) has its setting during the "dry season" when the two brothers are invited to the underworld of Xibalba for a ritual ball game with the lords of the dead.”(Warren n.p.) The story has lots of importance in the highly complicated but accurate calendars of Mayans. So, to Mayans every development and happening related to humankind occurs as per the design of the nature, and if humans interfere disrespect the laws of nature, they have to suffer harsh consequences. The two hundred and sixty day calendar does not list out the names of all the gods and lords associated with the underworld sacrifices and ball games. The harmonious blending of warfare and ritual indicates that to remain in tandem with the ways of the nature is of utmost importance. The beginning of war and the victory as per the holy two hundred and sixty day calendar indicates that kings desiring power and authority need to remain one with the universe on the sacred eve of their ascending to the throne. Mayan twin Heroes are Hunahpu and Xbalanque. This is the myth, like the one depicted in all cultures. One is “solar,” the more aggressive and direct twin and the other is “lunar” twin, more passive and its nature is reflective. They are the two complementary forces that must maintain the equilibrium for life to survive on this Planet Earth. We are made of molecules of millions of star molecules and it must be in balance with the complimentary twin. The dark and light aspects have equal importance and they need to be in peace. Their combined power is necessary to maintain perfect balance. Human civilizations ignore this aspect and suffer the consequences. Cosmos will intervene to rebalance itself and it does so by climate changes and other vibrational anomalies. The Ball Game was the integrated part of the Mayan culture. The game imbibed the competitive spirit amongst the people. The rubber ball about 20 inches in diameter was a life and death choice. It was played in a stone court. The game had lots of spiritual importance as government authorities, chieftains and leaders attended the game. Along with the game, other religious activities took place and songs were sung. The winners were greatly respected and treated as heroes and a feast was thrown in their honor. The loser carried stiff penalties, including death. The chief of the losing team was often killed. That action was in tandem with the belief of the Mayans that human sacrifice was absolutely essential for the continued welfare of the people in agriculture, trade and also for the grace of health with freedom from diseases. Nothing in the Mayan literature and its cultural traditions can be judged as the flight of imagination. Each story is scientifically valid, and will reveal some aspect of the functioning of the nature, to which Mayans carried absolute devotion. They have a fairly good estimate of functioning of the cosmos, and how the celestial bodies affected the life of humankind on this Planet Earth. The conclusion in the story mentioned in question one above is the pointer, how the divine law of retribution works, meaning one has to suffer for one’s calculated evil deeds. To cause intentional harm to others is as good as inviting misfortune and disaster in one’s life. Works Cited Tedlock, Dennis. Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition of The Mayan Book of The Dawn of Life and The Glories of Gods and Kings. Touchstone; Original edition, January 31, 1996; English Orozco,Chela. “The Maya Legend of Popol Vuh.” n.d. Web. March, 5, 2013. www.inside-mexico.com/legends/popolvuh.htm Warren, Bruce W. “Secret Combinations, Warfare, and Captive Sacrifice in Mesoamerica and the Book of Mormon.” n.d. Web. March 5, 2013 maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid... Read More