Kshiti Mohan Sen was educated at the traditional Sanskrit schools of Banaras, which had been a centre of Indian learning for many centuries. He mastered Sanskrit and a large collection of modern Indian languages, and also became an expert on Indian religious texts at a young age. Along with a study of folk culture, Sen wrote several volumes on different aspects of Hinduism, including a treatise on the caste system, and a textual study of the position of women in ancient India. Following Kshiti Mohan Sen's death in March 1960, this book was prepared for publication by his grandson, Amartya Sen, who has also contributed a substantial new introduction for this edition.