FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.2.4

यद्यदाचरति श्रेयानितरस्तत्तदीहते । स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥ ४ ॥
yad yad ācarati śreyān
[yad yad aacharati shreyaan]
itaras tat tad īhate
[itaras tat tad eehate]
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
[sa yat pramaanam kurute]
lokas tad anuvartate
[lokas tad anuvartate]
Word-for-word
yat yat — whatever ācarati — executes śreyān — a first-class man with full knowledge of religious principles itaraḥ — the subordinate man tat tat — that īhate — performs saḥ — he (the great man) yat — whatever pramāṇam — as evidence or as the right thing kurute — accepts lokaḥ — the general public tat — that anuvartate — follows.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yad yad ācarati śreyān
yat yat
whatever
ācarati
executes
śreyān
a first-class man with full knowledge of religious principles
itaras tat tad īhate
itaraḥ
the subordinate man
tat tat
that
īhate
performs
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
saḥ
he (the great man)
yat
whatever
pramāṇam
as evidence or as the right thing
kurute
accepts
lokas tad anuvartate
lokaḥ
the general public
tat
that
anuvartate
follows.
The mass of people follow the example of a leader in society and imitate his behavior. They accept as evidence whatever the leader accepts.
Purport

Although Ajāmila was not punishable, the Yamadūtas were insisting on taking him away to Yamarāja for punishment. This was adharma, contrary to religious principles. The Viṣṇudūtas feared that if such irreligious acts were allowed, the management of human society would be spoiled. In modern times, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to introduce the right principles of management for human society, but unfortunately the governments of Kali-yuga do not properly support the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement because they do not appreciate its valuable service. The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is the right movement for ameliorating the fallen condition of human society, and therefore governments and public leaders in every part of the world should support this movement to completely rectify humanity’s sinful condition.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Whatever the excellent man performs, the others follow. The people follow whatever he sets as the standard. The path of dharma will be very quickly covered up.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Society imitates its leaders — what leaders accept becomes the standard. This makes the choice of whom to follow and whom to influence enormously consequential.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose example am I quietly imitating? Is that person taking me toward Kṛṣṇa or away?
  • If others were following my example today, where would I be leading them?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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