Avestan Texts: Yasna, Gathas and Liturgical Passages
This domain tests knowledge of the Yasna as a ritual text and of the Gathas and other liturgical passages embedded in it. Questions often ask for the place of a passage, its language, and its ritual function.
Structure
- The Yasna has 72 chapters and is the central priestly liturgy.
- The Gathas are 17 hymns in five groups: Ahunavaiti (Yasna 28–34), Ushtavaiti (43–46), Spenta Mainyu (47–50), Vohu Khshathra (51), and Vahishto Ishti (53). They are Old Avestan.
- The Yasna Haptanhaiti (Yasna 35–41) is Old Avestan prose, not part of the five Gathic groups.
- Preliminary prayers such as the Ahuna Vairya occur in Yasna 27 and lead into the Gathic core.
- Visperad and Vendidad are separate liturgies or texts, not chapters of the Yasna.
Worked example
A question places a stanza in the Ahunavaiti Gatha and asks where to locate it. The correct range is Yasna 28–34. Reasoning: the five Gatha groups have fixed Yasna ranges; Ahunavaiti is the first and contains Yasna 28–34. A stanza in Yasna 35 would instead belong to the Haptanhaiti.
Traps
Do not call every Yasna passage a Gatha; do not mix the Gatha group names with the Amesha Spentas; do not place the Haptanhaiti among the 17 Gathic hymns; and do not treat Visperad as a Yasna chapter.