Bhagavad Gita · Karma YogaChapter 3, Shloka 21 (3.21)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
यद् यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत् तदेवेतरो जनः
स यत् प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते
॥ 3.21 ॥
yad yadācarati śreṣṭhastat tadevetaro janaḥ
sa yat pramāṇaṃ kurute lokastadanuvartate
Translation
"Whatever a great person does, others do the same; whatever standard that person sets, the world follows it."
Interpretation
Two levels. (1) Yad yad ācarati — what one does (conduct); (2) yat pramāṇaṃ kurute — the standard one sets (rules, measures).
Shankaracharya: śreṣṭhaḥ pradhānaḥ — the leading, principal person. Pramāṇam … laukikaṃ vaidikaṃ vā — a worldly or a Vedic standard; the world tad eva pramāṇī-karoti — takes that very thing as authoritative.
Acharya Ramanuja — with all its parts. Śreṣṭhaḥ kṛtsna-śāstra-jñātṛtayā anuṣṭhātṛtayā ca prathitaḥ — one renowned for knowing and practising the whole of scripture. In whatever form, with whatever parts, he performs action, the akṛtsna-vid — those who know only partly — also act in that same form. Therefore, for the protection of the world, such a great person sva-varṇāśramocitaṃ karma sakalaṃ sarvadā anuṣṭheyam — should always perform all the actions proper to his varna and ashrama. Anyathā loka-nāśa-janitaṃ pāpaṃ jñāna-yogād api enaṃ pracyāvayet — otherwise the sin born of the ruin of the world would make him fall even from jnana-yoga.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.