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The Upanishads are ancient Sanskrit texts of spiritual teaching and ideas of Hinduism. They are the part of the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, the Vedas, which deal with meditation, philosophy, and spiritual knowledge. The Upanishads focus on the concept of the self and ultimate reality, as well as Samsara (reincarnation), Karma (action), Dharma (duty), and Moksha (liberation). The Upanishads are among the most important literature in the history of Indian religions and culture. They played an important role in the development of spiritual ideas in ancient India, marking a transition from Vedic ritualism to new ideas and institutions. Translations in the early 19th century attracted the attention of western audiences, leading many to compare the fundamental concepts of The Upanishads to the beliefs of western philosophers. This case laminate collector's edition includes a Victorian inspired dust-jacket.

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"Vyasa (c. 200 BC) is the legendary author of the Mahabharata, Vedas and Puranas, some of the most important works in the Hindu tradition. Vyasa appears for the first time as the compiler of, and an important character in, the Mahabharata. It is said that he was the expansion of the God Vishnu, who came in Dwaparayuga to make all the Vedic knowledge from oral tradition available in written form. He was the son of Satyavati, adopted daughter of the fisherman Dusharaj and the wandering sage Parashara, who is credited with being the author of the first Purana, Vishnu Purana. He was born on an island in the river Yamuna. Due to his dark complexion, Vyasa was also given the name Krishna, in addition to the name Dwaipayana, meaning ""island-born."" According to the Mahabharata, the sage Vyasa was the son of Satyavati and Parashara. During her youth, Satyavati was a fisherwoman who used to drive a boat. One day, sage Parashara was in a hurry to attend a Yajna. Satyavati helped him cross the river borders. On this account, the sage offered her a mantra which would result in begetting a son who would be a sage with wisdom and all good qualities. Satyavati immediately recited the mantra and thus Vyasa was born. She kept this incident a secret, not telling even King Shantanu. The festival of Guru Purnima is dedicated to Vyasa. It is also known as Vyasa Purnima, for it is the day believed to be both his birthday and the day he divided the Vedas. Vyasa is also considered to be one of the seven Chiranjivins (long-lived, or immortals), who are still in existence according to Hindu tradition. Paramananda (1884-1940) was a swami and one of the early Indian teachers who went to the United States to spread the Vedanta philosophy and religion there. He was a mystic, a poet and an innovator in spiritual community living. On his seventeenth birthday, Suresh joined a group of older men from the village in a journey to Belur Math to visit the monastery and temple founded by Ramakrishna's disciples. There he met his teacher, Vivekananda, who was the foremost disciple of Ramakrishna and the first swami to teach in America.Paramananda was initiated a month before his eighteenth birthday, becoming a monk (sannyasin) of the Ramakrishna Order and the youngest disciple of Vivekananda. The President of the Ramakrishna Math, Brahmananda, would call Suresh ""Basanta Kokhil"" [spring-bird], or simply ""Basanta"" [spring] and that became his new nickname. He trained under the mentorship of Ramakrishnananda, also a direct disciple of Ramakrishna, and founder of the Madras Math, a thousand miles south of Calcutta.Paramananda was sent to London in 1906 at the age of twenty-two to assist at the previously established New York Vedanta Society. He lived and taught there until 1909, when Paramananda established the Vedanta Centre of Boston. He lectured throughout the United States, Europe and Asia for thirty-four years, until his death in 1940. He founded four nonsectarian ashramas where residents are primarily women, two in the United States and two in Calcutta, India, with one centre still thriving today. Like his teacher Vivekananda, Paramananda believed in equality between men and women. Paramananda also founded schools and orphanages for women and children in need."

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