The 21 Nasks of the Avesta: A Comprehensive Overview

The Avesta, the sacred scripture of Zoroastrianism, was traditionally divided into 21 books known as nasks. These nasks encompassed a vast array of religious knowledge, including theology, law, rituals, and cosmology. Over time, many of these texts have been lost, with only a fraction surviving to the present day. This article provides an overview of the original structure of the Avesta, the classification of the nasks, and the current state of their preservation.

Structure of the Nasks

According to the 9th-century Pahlavi text Dēnkard, the 21 nasks were organized to mirror the 21 words of the sacred Ahuna Vairya prayer. They were categorized into three groups:

1. Gāhānīg (Gathic) Nasks: Focused on hymns and spiritual teachings.
2. Hada Mānsrīg (Ritual) Nasks: Contained liturgical and ritualistic content.
3. Dādīg (Legal) Nasks: Dealt with laws and ethical guidelines.

Each group comprised seven nasks, reflecting the tripartite division of the Ahuna Vairya prayer.

Detailed List of the 21 Nasks

Gāhānīg (Gathic) Nasks

These nasks were centered around the Gathas, the hymns attributed to Zoroaster, and included commentaries and related texts.

1. Stōd-yasn: Associated with the Staota Yesnya, forming the core of the Yasna liturgy.
2. Sūdgar: Contained commentaries on the Gathas; only fragments survive.
3. Warštmānsr: Included discussions on the Gathas; content largely lost.
4. Bag: Possibly encompassed Yasna chapters 19–22; partially preserved.
5. Waštag: Content unknown; presumed lost.
6. Hādōxt: Included texts like Yasna 58; partially preserved.
7. Spand: Contained legends of Zoroaster; only fragments remain.

Hada Mānsrīg (Ritual) Nasks

These nasks dealt with rituals and liturgical practices, serving as a bridge between spiritual teachings and legal codes.

8. Dāmdād: Focused on cosmogony; only fragments survive.
9. Nāxtar: Content unknown; presumed lost.
10. Pāzag: Included texts like Gāh and Siroza; partially preserved.
11. Raθβištāiti: Discussed the arrangement of sacrifices; fragments exist.
12. Bariš: Covered religious ethics; only fragments remain.
13. Kaškaysraw: Addressed correction of improperly performed rituals; fragments survive.
14. Wištāsp-sāst: Contained legends of Vishtaspa; partially preserved.

Dādīg (Legal) Nasks

These nasks encompassed legal and ethical guidelines, forming the jurisprudential aspect of the Avesta.

15. Nikātum: Dealt with penal law; content lost.
16. Duzd-sar-nizad: Addressed legal matters; content lost.
17. Huspāram: Included texts like Nīrangestān and Hērbedestān; partially preserved.
18. Sakātum: Legal content; presumed lost.
19. Juddēwdād (Vendidad): The only nask fully preserved; contains laws and myths.
20. Čihrdād: Covered mythical history of Iran; only fragments remain.
21. Bagān Yašt: Included hymns to deities; partially preserved.

Preservation Status

Out of the original 21 nasks:

• Fully Preserved: 1 (Juddēwdād/Vendidad)
• Partially Preserved: Several, with varying degrees of surviving content.
• Lost: Majority, with knowledge of their content derived from summaries in texts like the Dēnkard.

The loss of a significant portion of the Avesta’s nasks represents a substantial gap in our understanding of Zoroastrianism’s comprehensive teachings. Efforts to reconstruct the content of these lost texts rely heavily on later summaries and references. Continued scholarly work is essential to piece together the rich tapestry of Zoroastrian doctrine and practice.

References:

• Dēnkard Book 8: Contents of the Nasks. Avesta.org
• “Avesta.” Wikipedia. Link
• “Sasanian Avesta.” Wikipedia. Link
• Karanjia, Ramiyar. “Avesta.” Link