What are Parayans and Saptahs, and why is a detailed work like *Shri Sai Satcharita* better for these practices than other writings?

As explained in Chapter 0, a Parayan or Saptah is a devotional reading of a sacred text, often performed individually or in a group. The source notes that for a Parayan or Saptah of a specific saint's life to be truly effective, the biography must be comprehensive and detailed. Earlier works by poets like Shri Dasganu Maharaj were not suitable because the biographies they contained were often only two or three pages long. In contrast, the *Shri Sai Satcharita* by Annasaheb Dabholkar is presented as a detailed, recent, and inspirational work about Sai Baba, making it perfectly suited for these deep-study practices.