Fearlessness
February 24, 2025
In 2015, my friend Dr Nicholas Sutton and I chose 72 of the most powerful lessons from Hinduism’s sacred texts and wrote a commentary on each one. Many of our selections were inspired by Neem Karoli Baba, who taught that love and compassion are the supreme dharmic principles. The result was the first edition of Pearls of Wisdom from Hinduism.
Today, the call for peace, truth and love feels more urgent than ever before. So I’m thrilled to announce a very special new, hardback limited edition of Pearls of Wisdom from Hinduism, with full colour illustrations by artist Alba Escayo — and to share with you the foreword to the new edition, reflecting on the journey of this book and the eternal power of Sanatana Dharma.
Foreword to the New Edition
More than a decade has passed since we first wrote Pearls of Wisdom, and yet today its words feel more alive and more necessary than ever before. Every verse still carries the same beauty, relevance and transformative power it did when we first compiled this work. In truth, these are not merely teachings for one era or one culture. They carry timeless relevance and eternal truths.
When Dr. Nicholas Sutton and I first worked on this book together, Nick was emerging from an intensely difficult period in his life following treatment for cancer. It was a tender and uncertain time, one that naturally deepened reflection on life’s purpose in the face of mortality, meaning, and the soul. Yet even amid that challenge, there was also gratitude, devotion and a sincere wish to preserve and share the sacred wisdom that had brought so much light into our own lives.
Recently, while revisiting this new edition together, Nick expressed how grateful he felt that this book continues to exist in the world. That touched me deeply. Because books like these are not simply books. They are offerings. They are attempts to pass on something sacred that has the potential to comfort, guide and awaken others long after we ourselves are gone.
One of the deepest intentions behind Pearls of Wisdom was the understanding that the spiritual treasures of Sanatana Dharma are not only part of India’s heritage, but part of humanity’s inheritance. The Taittiriya Upanishad encourages us towards both swadhyaya — the sincere study of sacred wisdom — and pravachan — the sharing of that wisdom with others. There is something deeply human about wanting to share what we love. Just as we might share a beautiful meal with family, a song that moved us to tears, or a sunset that took our breath away, wisdom too longs to be shared when it transforms the heart. These teachings are prasad that we find great delight in sharing.
The saints and sages of India understood that true spirituality is not about superiority, but about awakening love, compassion and reverence for all life. Tulsidas writes so beautifully in the Ramcharitmanas:
“Siya Ram maya sab jaga jani, Karahu pranam jori juga pani.”
“Seeing the entire world pervaded by Sita and Ram, I bow to all beings with folded hands.”
What a breathtaking vision of life this is. To see the divine in all beings. To walk through the world with reverence instead of domination. To understand that love is not reserved for a chosen few, but is the natural fragrance of an awakened heart.
When teachings like these are reflected upon deeply, repeated, memorised, contemplated and lived, they slowly begin to transform us. They soften the heart and live within us. They reduce anger and greed, while cultivating and awakening compassion and friendship. They remind us what truly matters. In a restless age filled with noise, comparison and distraction, these sacred teachings bring us back to peace, truth and love.
This beautiful new edition of Pearls of Wisdom is therefore more than simply a publication. It is an offering we hope people cherish in their homes, share with friends and family, return to in moments of struggle and pass on to future generations.
The ancient ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — that the whole world is one family — feels especially urgent today. Humanity has become deeply connected technologically, yet often divided emotionally and spiritually. We have immense information, yet very little inner peace. The dharmic traditions offer timeless insights into how we might live more deeply: with greater awareness, greater restraint, greater kindness, and greater harmony with nature and one another.
Thousands of years ago, the Great King Yudhisthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, chose caring for a dog over going to heaven. This profound act of compassion is the legacy of love for all beings that is a central theme of Hindu dharma. The principle of non-harm has also found its place at the very heart of this ancient spiritual civilization. Not merely non-violence in action, but gentleness in speech, purity in thought, compassion in conduct, and care for all living beings. As the Mahabharata proclaims:
“Ahimsa paramo dharmah” (Non-harming is the highest dharma.)
Much of my own understanding of these truths has been deeply shaped by the grace and teachings of Neem Karoli Baba. Maharajji’s message was astonishingly simple, yet perhaps more important today than ever before: “Love everyone. Serve everyone. Feed Everyone and Remember God.” He showed that spirituality is not escape from the world, but deeper participation in it through love, humility, seva and compassion, and this has led to the formative ideas behind the humanitarian and aid work of Go Dharmic.
The invitation to Sanatana Dharma is not a sectarian one; rather, it is an invitation to discover and rediscover the eternal principles that already live within the human heart: truthfulness, compassion, self-discipline, reverence for nature, service to others and love for all beings. We are already part of one family.
My sincere hope is that this new edition of Pearls of Wisdom finds its way into the hands of seekers, families, students, leaders, artists, entrepreneurs, educators and those in positions of influence throughout the world. Because the future of humanity will not be determined by technology alone, but by our ability to support life on Earth by restoring dharma.
If these teachings can help even a few people become kinder, more peaceful, more loving and more aware of the sacredness of life, then this work will have fulfilled its purpose.
May 2026, Hanuman Dass
Pearls of Wisdom from Hinduism will be published on 4 September 2026. Only 1,000 copies of this beautiful special edition will be printed. Pre-order today to secure your copy.
