# Bhagavad-gita As It Is by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

8 Hacker News commenters recommended Bhagavad-gita As It Is by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** People recommend it for its beautiful translation and purports on one of India's most revered texts, and for its ideas on flow and focus. Readers call it a fairly quick read.

## Why people recommend it

- Beautiful translation with purports (1 comments): "Beautiful translation and purports on one of the most widely read and revered text in India." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46398721))
- Ideas on flow state (1 comments): "The Gita's "lamp in a windless place" is the best description of flow state I've ever read." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47028520))
- Fairly quick read (1 comments): "it ought to be a fairly quick read" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46436715))
- Pairs well with other classics (1 comments): "If you have the acumen, go read Bhagavad Gita, Gospel of Ramakrishna, Tao Te Ching, etc." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49551995))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [The Bible](https://hackerapproved.com/p/bible.md): 47 recommend
- [Magnifica Humanitas by Pope Leo XIV](https://hackerapproved.com/p/magnifica-humanitas.md): 11 recommend
- [I Ching by Richard Wilhelm and Cary Baynes](https://hackerapproved.com/p/i-ching.md): 8 recommend
- [Antiqua et Nova by Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith](https://hackerapproved.com/p/antiqua-et-nova.md): 8 recommend
- [Fides et Ratio by John Paul II](https://hackerapproved.com/p/fides-et-ratio.md): 2 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0451604660?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780451604668) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Bhagavad-gita As It Is by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada", https://hackerapproved.com/p/bhagavad-gita/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).