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TheSudgar nask is the firstnask (volume) of theSasanian Avesta.[1] Like most other nasks, it isno longer extant, but its content can be reconstructed from references in laterPahlavi writings and the parts still contained in the extantAvesta.[2]
The 8th book of theDenkard, a 9th-10th century compendium of Zoroastrianism,[3] as well as a number ofRivayats, a series of epistles from the 15th - 17th century, list its content. In addition the 9th book of the Denkard provides a lengthy description its content.[4] As a result, its original form can be reconstructed with some degree of certainty.
The work is calledStudgar andIstudgar in the Rivayats.[5] Both are considered corruptions of Sudgar.[6] Its name has been interpreted as meaningbenefit-making.[7] There is no consensus on a possible connection between this name and its content. For example, Vevaina has opined that it is derived from itseschatological content.[8]
The Sasanian Avesta was organized into 21 nasks, i.e., volumes, with each nask being in turn divided into several chapters. These 21 nasks are grouped into 3 divisions; the Gāhānīg (Gathic nasks), Hada Mānsrīg (manthras connected with the ritual), and Dādīg (legal nasks).[9] Within this structure, the Sudgar nask was the first nask, but only the second of the Gathic nasks, to which it belonged. This discrepancy was due to theStōd-yasn being placed as the first nask of the Gathic group, while being overall the last of the 21 nasks of the Sasanian Avesta. It has been speculated that this arrangement was meant to convey the cyclical and interconnected nature of the different nasks within the Sasanian Avesta.[10]
The Sudgar nask was divided into 22 fargards (chapters) and consisted, according toWest's estimate, of ca. 4.700 words ofAvestan text accompanied by ca. 10.500 wordcommentary inPahlavi.[11] It covered the central part of theStaota Yesnya, starting with theAhuna Vairya manthra (fargard 1), followed by theAshem Vohu manthra (fargard 2), theYenghe hatam manthra (fargard 3), the AhunavaitiGatha (fargard 4-10), theYasna Haptanghaiti (fargard 11), the Ushtavaiti Gatha (fargard 12-15), the Spenta Mainyu Gatha (fargard 16-19), the Vohu Khshathra Gatha (fargard 20), the Vahishto Ishti Gatha (fargard 21) and finally theAiryaman ishya manthra (fargard 22).
A complete translations of the summary of the Sudgar nask was provided byEdward William West published in 1892 as Volume 37 of theSacred Books of the East series byMax Müller.[12] Between 1874 and 1926,DasturPeshotan Behramji Sanjana and his son DasturDarab Peshotan Sanjana published an edition of the Denkard in 19 volumes in Gujarati.[13] Volume 17 of this edition covers Book 9 of the Denkard and an English translation was provided by Ratanshah Erachshah Kohiyar.[14] More recently in 2024, Vevaina published a new critical edition of Denkard book 9 with a particular focus on the Sudgar nask.[15]
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