Distinctive features of the Gāθās and the Yasna Haptaŋhāiti
In reappraising the difference between the Gāθās and the Yasna Haptaŋhāiti [YH], we had seen 6 doctrinal differences: 1. Prose versus verse; 2. Absence of the negative universe; 3. Anonymous text; 4. Amǝṣ̌a spǝṇta's title "beneficent immortal"; 5. Presence of the natural world and 6. Presence and absence of certain notions, the last point we had left to deal with. We thus note the presence of the term frauuaṣ̌i, whereas we find varana- in the Gāθās, to define the initial ritual choice. As for the absent notions, there are three:
1. No derivatives of the root sū "to swell" such as sauuah- or saošiiaṇt-, but only the compound yauuaēsū-"that prospers for eternity" with no ritual use of the term.
2. Sraoša, the embodiment of rumors of sacrifice, is also absent.
3. No genus frasā, the interrogative.
Comparative analysis
The three textual strata of the Avesta: the Gāθās, the Yasna Haptaŋhāiti [YH] and the recent Yasna, begin by evoking the formula of ritual choice:
Y27.13 vairiiō "that one must choose"
Y35.3 varǝmaidī "we choose"
Y0.1 frauuarāne "I want to choose" [1].
The Yasna Haptaŋhāiti stratum
Y35.2 expression of the ritual triad by the passive past adjectives humata-, hūxta-, huuarǝšta- unlike the Gāθās who express it by the abstract terms manah-, vacah-, š́iiaoθana-.
Y 35.3 formula of religious choice with varǝmaidī "we choose". We choose the triad of establishing what is vahišta- "best" for the two states(ahu-): bony(astuuaṇt-) and mental(manax́iia-).
Y 35.4 mention of the cow. We note that the triad generates pasture for the cow, an allusion therefore by antiphrase to the bloody sacrifice.
Y 35.5 the triad also generates a power(xšaθra-) reserved for the one who makes the best use of it.
Y35.7 expression of thought(amǝ̄hmaidī "we think").
Y35.8 expression of speech(ādā "I say").Y 36 Consecration of fire.
