What are Parayans and Saptahs, and what is their purpose?

As detailed in Chapter 0, Parayans (readings) and Saptahs (weekly recitations) are ancient spiritual practices dating back to the Vedic era. They involve the regular study and recitation of significant texts like the Vedas, Ramayana, or a Guru's biography. The purpose of performing Parayans and Saptahs can be twofold. They can be done with desire (Kamya) for worldly benefits like prosperity or the removal of distress and disease. Alternatively, and more preferably, they can be performed with a selfless mind (Nishkam) for the ultimate goal of liberation from the cycle of birth and death. The text from Chapter 0 emphasizes that this selfless, or Nishkam, approach to Guru service is always superior.