What is a Parayan, and why are some biographical works considered more suitable for it than others?

A Parayan, or Saptah, is a devotional study or extended reading of a sacred text. As explained in Chapter 0, the suitability of a work for a Parayan depends on its detail and comprehensiveness. The preface notes that while the compilations by Mahipati and Dasganu Maharaj contain many biographies, the individual accounts are often just two or three pages long. This makes them less useful for a devotee wishing to perform a Parayan focused on a single saint. In contrast, a detailed, poetic, and comprehensive Guru biography like the Shri Sai Satcharita is considered ideal for such devotional practice, allowing for deep immersion.