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The Duzd-sar-nizad nask was one of the legal nasks (volumes) of the Sasanian Avesta, describing matters of Zoroastrian jurisprudence.^[1] No parts of it are known to have survived but later descriptions demonstrate it covered diverse topics such as rules during war,^[2] or animal rights.^[3]

The nask itself is no longer extant but references are found in later Zoroastrian writings. First, the 8th book of the Denkard provides in chapters 8.21-27 an overview over seven of its sections.^[4] In addition, the Rivayats, a series of exchanges from the 15th - 17th century, give a short description of the content of the Duzd-sar-nizad nask.^[5]

The Sasanian Avesta was organized into 21 nasks, i.e., volumes, which were grouped into 3 divisions; Gathic, ritual, and legal nasks.^[6] Within this scheme, the Duzd-sar-nizad nask belonged to the legal nasks.^[7] Edward William West estimates, that it consisted of ca. 28,000 words of Avestan text accompanied by ca. 251,500 words of commentary in Pahlavi.^[8] According to the Denkard, the Duzd-sar-nizad consisted of 18 chapters although only seven are described in detail. According to the Rivayats, however, it consisted of 65 chapters.^[9]

The legal topics discussed in the Duzd-sar-nizad derived from the pre-Sasanian time,^[10] but some of its harsher elements may have been mitigated during the Sasanian period.^[11] Like the other legal nasks, the Duzd-sar-nizad covered a wide range of judicial topics.^[12] The first section, described in Denkard 8.21, covered topics involving thieves and robbers.^[13] The second section, described in Denkard 8.22, covered family law (Amēxtag).^[14] The third section is described in Denkard 8.23. It was known as the "Shepherd's dog code" (Pasušhōrwestān) and covered the rights and duties of shepherd's dogs.^[15] The fourth section was described in Denkard 8.24. It was called the "draft-animal code" (Stōrestān) and covered penalties for harming draft animals and cattle.^[16] The fifth section was described in Denkard 8.25. It was called the "Value code" (Arzestān) and covered the value of different kind of properties.^[17] The sixth section was described in Denkard 8.26. It was called the "Warrior code" (Artēštārestān) and covered a wide range of topics concerning the rules during armend conflicts.^[18] Finally, the last section was described in Denkard 8.27. It was called the "Miscellany" (Amēxtag) and consequently covered a diverse range of topics like guarding fire, grooming horses, wearing garments or forms of ownership.^[19]

• Summary of the Duzd-sar-nizad nask according to Book 8 of the Denkard by Edward William West
• Summary of the Duzd-sar-nizad nask in the Rivayats by Ervad Bamanji Nusserwanji Dhabhar