Sai devotees generally tend to start their prayers with a Sai Satcharithra Parayan. I was quite surprised to realise that I have never written anything about it. I believe there is a lot of information available about the Satcharithra online written by really great people and there isn’t much I can add to it. However as I write for Baba more than anyone else, I feel it is crucial to write about Satcharithra Parayan.
So here we go…
It was a long time ago when a friend of mine noticed my love for Baba and asked me “So, do you do Parayan”. I have never heard of Satcharithra Parayan before that day. When growing up no one in my immediate family was a Sai devotee, atleast not in the way they are now 🙂 so when my friend had that conversation, I was very keen to learn more. I read a lot about it online and was surprised that I was so oblivious to it. Since then I badly wanted to read it. Guess what around the same time, my flatmate went to India and got me the book. I was so happy to see it. My first Satcharithra Parayan, I really struggled to focus and read for long. I believe the reason for that were the rules that I was following such as sitting down and reading, reading without eating anything after pooja and reading in translated Satcharithra with a lot of slokas and mantras. Eventually I realised that the most important thing to do is to understand the beauty of Sai Charithra by focusing on the ways Baba has blessed and guided the people of Shirdi. More than anything else, imagining myself in Shirdi during those beautiful days and enjoying the bliss of Baba’s miracles. When I started doing all the above, I had the wonderful experience of Sai Satcharithra Sapthah Parayan. Sometimes I used to read alone and out loud as if I’m reading it to someone. Eventually I was indeed reading it to Baba. It was funny that I believed that I was reading Baba’s miracles to himself. But that’s what I did and I had a feeling as if he was listening :). Tears used to flow while reading some of the episodes. It was so beautiful. The way Baba lived in the human form on the holy land of Shirdi and living and guiding his children at every step is truly mesmerizing.
If great devotees like Hemadpanth ji, didn’t record all these elements, how would normal people like us get to hear about it after almost a 100 years. But Baba made sure they all did and share them with everyone. It is said that when Baba chooses his devotees, he pulls them like a sparrow. Not only that but Baba also guides and shows all the ways in which the devotee can become further aware and closer to him.
Different ways of doing Satcharithra Parayan
Sapthah Parayan:
Start the Satcharithra on a Thursday and finish it by the following Wednesday. Usually books are segregated into chapters and days to be completed in 7 days. If not, you can segregate them in your own way. This method is traditionally followed as a vow when requesting Baba to fulfill a wish.
Devotees also take a vow to do the Sapthah Parayan twice/thrice/9 times/11 times or 108 times.
Nithya Parayan:
Start reading on a Thursday and read a chapter every day until you finish all 52 chapters. Start again and repeat the same. This method represents a good practice of reading good words, in this case, the life of Shirdi Sai Baba as part of the daily routine.
Some people read it in one day, start early on a Thursday morning and complete by the end of the day. Having said that it is a real rush and I personally could only do the Travel Satcharithra (very short version) in one day, when I was on a long flight.
Learning about life of Baba and his preachings is an important aspect of every devotees’ life. Further to that embracing his principles and moulding our life in accordance with his principles is also critical. We could be someone who read Satcharithra a 100 times but what is the point if we treat people of other religion differently or as less equal. So I believe that, it is not about how many times we have read it or in how many days we have read it but it is all about how much we have learnt from it and implement it in our daily lives…
Jai Sairam
P.S. The best place to read the Sai Satharithra online is from the Shirdi Sai Sansthan website https://www.shrisaibabasansthan.org/INDEX.HTML#. They have provided the e-books in various languages.
Love you Sai Maa 
Om Sai Ram,
I have no words to express my happiness to see that you have written about SATCHARITHRA, just when i was unsure if I was doing it right way. Thanks a million Baba, for having cleared my doubt. All i need to do is take a vow as to how long i will read. But one question, I have a concise version of the book on my mobile phone. I read that when i have my periods or when am travelling and now i read that only. Book is lengthy and with disturbances popping the moment i open it, I find this easier though its not that short. Is that OK? Its in pdf format. I found it online
Om Sairam
I always believed in doing something heartfully rather than putting restrictions and Not being able to do it, in that sense PDFs work perfectly. The ones on the Shirdi website are original translations and they are nice and conscise.
Jaisairam
Thank you for explaining how to do the parayanam in right way. I read from pdf file on my mobile. its a concise version and i read it when i during my periods too, when i cannot read from book (its kept in mandir where there are idols of other Gods n Goddesses).
Om Sai Ram, I read Satcharithra from my mobile, which has a concise version. Its my personal experience, that i feel better when i read Satcharithra daily. If by any chance i become lazy and postpone it to next day, i get something or the other that pains/hurts me. Then i tell myself, if Baba has pulled me to His feet, then i should consider myself blessed because He has given me a chance to work out my past karmas and get over it this lifetime. Thanks to you, I have changed my attitude also after starting 2 vrats (which i came to know thru your this website). I have a tendency to get discouraged and give up soon. But not anymore. May Baba bless you….
Om Sairam
Glad to hear your experience. A very good example of ‘Where there is Will, Baba will show us the Way’
Jai Sairam
Om Sairam
I believe that reading about Baba’s miracles on a daily basis is also a modern form of Satcharithra Parayan. Such experiences and miracles are shared by Sai children which are posted on this blessed platform every day http://www.shirdisaibabaexperiences.org/
Jai Sairam
Om Sai Ram, I visit that site everyday. You are right, its a blessed platform. Its like another Satcharithra in which one chapter keeps getting added. And whenever in doubt or when am feeling low, i surely get His answer (positive ones) in form of either a devotees experience or His advice in form of image.
Gurupurnima this year is from 18th July to 20th July. What all puja and offerings can we do for Baba on that day? Please help…. 🙂
Om Sai Ram… Of lately, am not able to do parayan. Everytime i start, either i dont get time whole day or something extremely bad happens, so much so that i cannot read it. Why so?
Om Sairam…When something of this sort happens to me, I take a step back and just let go of any stress and negative energy around me and take baby steps forward. For example, if you are unable to read Sat charithra, start slow by listening to it. Before starting any vrat, pooja or parayan make sure we request Baba to bless us to fulfil it without any obstacles. Being able to finsih what we started is the biggest blessing.
Jai Sairam
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