Bhagavad Gita BG 3.21
Chapter 3, Verse 21 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः । स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥ २१ ॥
yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ sa yat pramāṇaṃ kurute lokas tad anuvartate
Meaning
Whatever a great person does, others follow. Whatever standard that person sets, the world follows.
Understanding
This is one of the most universally cited verses of the Gita — a timeless observation about leadership. Śreṣṭhaḥ means 'the best / the most excellent / the leader.' Whatever such a person does (yad yad ācarati), ordinary people (itaro janaḥ) imitate. Whatever standard (pramāṇam) they set, the world follows (anuvartate). The implication for Arjuna is powerful: he is a great warrior and prince; if he sits down and refuses to fight, it will become a precedent. Others will model his abdication, and the dharmic structure will weaken. This verse carries equal weight for modern life: leaders, parents, teachers, and public figures shape culture through their actions, consciously or not.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| श्रेष्ठः | śreṣṭhaḥ | the best / great person / the excellent one / leader |
| आचरति | ācarati | acts / conducts / behaves |
| इतरः जनः | itaraḥ janaḥ | ordinary people / others |
| प्रमाणम् | pramāṇam | standard / measure / authority / precedent |
| अनुवर्तते | anuvartate | follows / conforms to / models after |
| यद् यद् | yad yad | whatever / whichever (repeated for emphasis) |
| तत् तद् | tat tad | that very thing / exactly that |
| एव | eva | just that / exactly (emphatic) |
| सः | saḥ | he / that (great person) |
| यत् | yat | whatever / which |
| कुरुते | kurute | sets as / establishes / makes |
| लोकः | lokaḥ | the world / people |
| तद् | tad | that / following that |