Is the practice of reciting a Guru's biography a recent development, or does it have historical roots?

The practice of reciting spiritual texts is far from recent; it is an ancient tradition. The preface in Chapter 0 states that the practice of performing Parayans (readings) and Saptahs (weekly recitations) dates back to the Vedic era. It mentions that such recitations of great works like the Vedas, Ramayana, and Yoga Vasistha happen regularly. Furthermore, the service of writing a Guru's biography is itself noted to be very ancient, with a specific mention in the Narada Purana, as highlighted in Chapter 0. This historical context confirms that these devotional practices have deep and long-standing roots.