Bhagavad Gita 3.21
Karma Yoga · English Translation
Sanskrit
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः | स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ||३-२१||
Transliteration
yadyadācarati śreṣṭhastattadevetaro janaḥ . sa yatpramāṇaṃ kurute lokastadanuvartate ||3-21||
Whatsoever a great man does, that the other men also do; whatever he sets up as the standard, that the world (mankind) follows.
Word by Word
यद्यत् whatsoever, आचरति does, श्रेष्ठः the best, तत्तत् that, एव only, इतरः the other, जनः people, सः he (that great man), यत् what, प्रमाणम् standard (authority, demonstration), कुरुते does, लोकः the world (people), तत् that, अनुवर्तते follows
Classical Commentary
Man is a social animal. He is an imitating animal too. He takes his ideas of right and wrong from those whom he regards as his moral superior. Whatever a great man follows, the same is considered as an authority by his followers. They try to follow him. They endeavour to walk in his footsteps.