How ancient is the practice of performing Parayans and Saptahs, and what kinds of texts have been traditionally used for this purpose?

The practice of performing Parayans (readings) and Saptahs (weekly recitations) is described as very ancient, dating all the way back to the Vedic era. As the preface in Chapter 0 explains, these recitations are commonly held for great Sanskrit works such as the Vedas, Bhagavata, Ramayana, and Yoga Vasistha. The tradition also extends to revered Marathi works like Shri Dnyaneshwari, Shri Nath Bhagavata, and Shri Dasbodh. While some of these are knowledge texts rather than biographies, studying them is still considered a high form of Guru service for those who revere the authors or the texts themselves.