Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 3 › Verse 21
Bhagavad Gītā 3.21: Others follow your example
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥
yadyadācarati śreṣṭhastattadevetaro janaḥ
sa yatpramāṇaṃ kurute lokastadanuvartate
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
Whatever a person of standing does, others do as well; whatever standard such a person sets, the world follows. Kṛṣṇa uses this to explain why even the wise should keep acting rightly.
For children
Krishna says: “When grown-ups and big brothers and sisters do something, others copy them. So set a good example!”
Kṛṣṇa explains to Arjuna why action matters even for someone who is wise.
Word by word
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस् — Whatever a great person does,
- yad yad: whatever
- ācarati: does, practises
- śreṣṭha: the best, a leader
तत्तदेवेतरो जनः — other people do the same
- tat tad eva: that very thing
- itara: other
- jana: people
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते — whatever standard they set,
- pramāṇa: standard, example
- kurute: makes, sets
लोकस्तदनुवर्तते — the world follows it
- loka: the world, people
- anuvartate: follows
Kṛṣṇa speaks this verse. The Sanskrit is checked against four editions; meanings and word notes are simple learning aids written for MahaPrabha Gurukul, awaiting review by a Sanskrit teacher.