FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 3.21

यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः । स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥ २१ ॥
yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
[yad yad aacharati shreshthas]
tat tad evetaro janaḥ
[tat tad evetaro janah]
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
[sa yat pramaanam kurute]
lokas tad anuvartate
[lokas tad anuvartate]
Word-for-word
yat yat — whatever ācarati — he does śreṣṭhaḥ — a respectable leader tat — that tat — and that alone eva — certainly itaraḥ — common janaḥ — person saḥ — he yat — whichever pramāṇam — example kurute — does perform lokaḥ — all the world tat — that anuvartate — follows in the footsteps .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
yat yat
whatever
ācarati
he does
śreṣṭhaḥ
a respectable leader
tat tad evetaro janaḥ
tat
that
tat
and that alone
eva
certainly
itaraḥ
common
janaḥ
person
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
saḥ
he
yat
whichever
pramāṇam
example
kurute
does perform
lokas tad anuvartate
lokaḥ
all the world
tat
that
anuvartate
follows in the footsteps .
Important Words
  • śreṣṭhaḥ — a respectable leader
    Superlative of praśasya — most worthy of praise. Not merely the powerful — the *respected*. Kṛṣṇa is precise: it is the morally-recognized one whose acts get copied.
  • itaraḥ — common
    Literally 'other' — the not-the-great. The word marks a sociological fact: there is a population that watches, and it is large. Privacy is mostly an illusion for the visible.
  • pramāṇam — example, standard
    From pra-√mā, to measure forth — a *standard of measurement*. Whatever the great person does becomes the yardstick. The word is precise: not merely influence but *metrology*.
  • anuvartate — follows in the footsteps
    From anu-√vṛt, to turn behind — same root as anuvartayati in 3.16. The world *turns after* the leader. The verb is automatic, almost involuntary; the followers are not deciding.
Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
The most quoted line in chapter 3. Society mimics its exemplars. Whatever the visible leader treats as normal becomes the norm. Therefore Arjuna's choice — fight or flee — will reshape what other kṣatriyas consider permissible.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
This is the doctrinal heart of loka-saṅgraha. The model is sociological: behavior cascades downward from elite to mass. The implication is steep — moral responsibility scales with visibility. Modern resonance is obvious: leaders, parents, teachers, public figures all set 'pramāṇa.' Verses 22–25 will apply this same logic to Kṛṣṇa Himself.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
श्रेष्ठः यत् यत् आचरति, इतरः जनः तत् तत् एव (आचरति); सः यत् प्रमाणम् कुरुते, लोकः तत् अनुवर्तते।
śreṣṭhaḥ yat yat ācarati, itaraḥ janaḥ tat tat eva (ācarati); saḥ yat pramāṇam kurute, lokaḥ tat anuvartate|
Whatever the eminent person does, that very thing the rest of the world does; whatever standard he sets, the world follows.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
यत् यत् आचरति श्रेष्ठः तत् तत् एव इतरः जनः । सः यत् प्रमाणम् कुरुते लोकः तत् अनुवर्तते ॥
yat yat ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ tat tat eva itaraḥ janaḥ | saḥ yat pramāṇam kurute lokaḥ tat anuvartate ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
यत् यत् yat yat rel. pron. (pronoun) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n., distributive whatever
आचरति ācarati आ+√चर् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) does, practices
श्रेष्ठः śreṣṭhaḥ श्रेष्ठ (compar. (comparative)/superl. of प्रशस्य) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. the eminent, the best
तत् तत् tat tat dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n., distributive that very thing
एव eva ind. (indeclinable), emphatic indeed
इतरः itaraḥ इतर (pron. (pronoun) adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. the other (common)
जनः janaḥ जन (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) person, people
सः saḥ dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. he
यत् yat rel. pron. (pronoun) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. what
प्रमाणम् pramāṇam प्रमाण (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) standard, authority
कुरुते kurute √कृ pres. (present) 3sg.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) establishes, makes
लोकः lokaḥ लोक (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) the world
अनुवर्तते anuvartate अनु+√वृत् pres. (present) 3sg.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) follows along
Purport

People in general always require a leader who can teach the public by practical behavior. A leader cannot teach the public to stop smoking if he himself smokes. Lord Caitanya said that a teacher should behave properly before he begins teaching. One who teaches in that way is called ācārya, or the ideal teacher. Therefore, a teacher must follow the principles of śāstra (scripture) to teach the common man. The teacher cannot manufacture rules against the principles of revealed scriptures. The revealed scriptures, like Manu-saṁhitā and similar others, are considered the standard books to be followed by human society. Thus the leader’s teaching should be based on the principles of such standard śāstras. One who desires to improve himself must follow the standard rules as they are practiced by the great teachers. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also affirms that one should follow in the footsteps of great devotees, and that is the way of progress on the path of spiritual realization. The king or the executive head of a state, the father and the schoolteacher are all considered to be natural leaders of the innocent people in general. All such natural leaders have a great responsibility to their dependents; therefore they must be conversant with standard books of moral and spiritual codes.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
21. Whatever actions the superior performs, other persons will also perform. What you do according to scriptural authority, others follow.
Commentary

In this verse he explains how the people are taught: by following example.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
21. Whatever actions the superior performs, other persons will also perform. Whatever the scripture the superior man follows, will be followed by other.
Commentary

This verse shows the method of instructing the population. Whatever action the greatest person performs, the others (itaraḥ), even the low person, will follow. Whatever scripture (pramāṇam) the superior person considers in performing his actions (kurute), the lower persons will follow that. Thus the intention is that the best actions authorized by scripture should be performed by the inferior person desiring auspiciousness. And whimsical action performed by the superior or powerful person is rejected, because though it is performed by the superior, it is not approved by scripture.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

No one considers that "O he is much more qualified than me and I cannot follow his example". If someone sees something that looks like is fun in some way and is exciting, everyone immediatly wants to do it without considering qualification. Therefore Krsna's instructions to Arjuna are to help people by setting a good example because "if they follow your example even though you, being so highly qualified may be doing alright by going to the forest, others will only get themselves into trouble.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study Key verse
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

A leader should perform prescribed duties to set an example for others

Focus of Learning

(a) Definition of ‘Acarya’ – An ideal teacher who teaches by perfect personal behavior

(b) Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu on ‘teaching’

One should behave properly before he begins teaching
e.g. A leader cannot teach the public to stop smoking if he himself smokes

(c) What are the ‘Standard books/scriptures for humanity’ – The revealed scriptures like Manu

Samhita and similar others

(d) What is the ‘basis of leaders’ teachings’ – These should be based on the principles of such

standard sastras

(a) Why Janak Maharaja had no obligation for Vedic prescribed duties – Because he was a self-

realized soul

(b) Why still he performed his prescribed duties

Just to set an example
As the King of Mithila, he had to teach his subjects how to perform prescribed duties

(c) Another example quotes by Srila Prabhupada to emphasize the need for prescribed duties –

Krishna and Arjuna fought on the battlefield to teach people in general that “violence is necessary

where good arguments fail”

(d) How experienced persons in Krishna consciousness act

Without any interest in the world; still works to teach the public how to live and how to act
Experienced persons act in such a way that others will follow

(d) Vedic rituals vs Krishna consciousness

Purpose of Vedic rituals like prescribed sacrifices – They are performed for purification of impious activities that were performed in the field of sense gratification
Action in Krishna consciousness – Such action is transcendental to the reactions of good and evil work
A Krishna conscious person acts only on behalf of Krishna and has no attachment to the results
Engages in all kinds of activities but is completely unattached
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
3.21 Yat yat, [This is according to the Ast. The G1. Pr. reads, yat yat yesu yesu.-Tr.] whatever action; a sresthah, superior person, a leader; acarati, does; itarah, another; janah, person, who follows him; does tat tat eva, that very action. Further, yat, whatever; sah, he, the superior person; kurute, upholds; as pramanam, authority, be it Vedic or secular; lokah, an ordinary person; anuvartate, follows; tat, that, i.e. he accepts that very thing as authoritative. 'If you have a doubt here with regard to the duty of preventing people from straying, then why do you not observe Me?'
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
3.21 Whatever 'an eminent man,' i.e., he, who is famous for his knowledge of all the scriptures and for his observance of the scriptural dictates, performs, others who have incomplete knowledge of the scriptures will also perform, following his example. With regard to any duty which is being performed with all its ancillaries by an eminent personage, the people with incomplete knowledge will do it with the same ancillaries. Therefore for the protection of the world, all acts that are appropriate to one's station and stage in life must always be performed by an eminent man who is distinguished for his wisdom. Otherwise, the evil generated from the ruin of the large masses of the world (who neglect their duties by following his example), will bring him down, even if he were a follower of pure Jnana Yoga.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
3.21 See Comment under 3.22
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
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.
Commentary

3.21 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.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.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
3.21 Whatever a superior person does, another person does that very thing! Whatever he upholds as authority, an ordinary person follows that.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
3.21 For whatever a great man does, others imitate. People conform to the standard which he has set.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Abhaya (Fearlessness)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Prema (Divine Love)Samata (Equanimity / Even-mindedness)
Related verses
BG 3.25 BG 3.23 BG 4.11 SB 5.4.14 SB 10.24.38 SB 6.3.20 CC Madhya 17.185 CC Ādi 3.20 CC Madhya 22.58 Taittirīya Upaniṣad 1.11.2Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.1.10
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Whatever action a great person performs, common people imitate; whatever standard he sets, the world follows.
Practical Applications
  • Notice that you are watched even when you don't think you are.
  • Don't excuse private behavior — the soul nearby is also being shaped.
  • Hold your example to scriptural standard, not personal preference.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I 'off-stage' in ways I would not be 'on-stage'?
  • What standard am I unintentionally setting in my circle?
Analogy

A lead goose sets the pattern of the V and the flock follows without consultation. So is the action of the great person — the flock is forming behind you whether you signed up to lead or not.

Stories
Yudhiṣṭhira's Half-truth and the Army's Hearing

On the eighteenth day of Kurukṣetra, Yudhiṣṭhira — Dharmarāja, the very embodiment of dharma — was asked to utter the words 'Aśvatthāmā is dead' to break Droṇa's resolve. He spoke them truthfully (an elephant by that name had been killed) but softly mumbled 'the elephant.' The army heard only the headline.

Droṇa laid down his weapons and was slain. Tradition records that until that moment Yudhiṣṭhira's chariot had ridden a finger above the ground; afterward it touched the earth. The verse is exactly this lesson: *yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ* — whatever the great person performs, the world is already imitating, including the technical truth that becomes a tactical lie.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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