Verse 3.21

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 3.21:

यद् यद् आचरति श्रेष्ठस् तत् तद् एवेतरो जनः स यत् प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस् तद् अनुवर्तते ॥ २१ ॥

yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ
sa yat pramāṇaṃ kurute lokas tad anuvartate || 21 ||

yat yat–whatever; ācarati–example he sets; śreṣṭhaḥ–an exalted person; tat tat–that very thing; eva–surely; itaraḥ–a common; janaḥ–person; saḥ–he; yat–whatever; pramāṇam–standard; kurute–he sets; lokaḥ–the people; tat–that; anuvartate–follow.

Whatever behaviour a great personality practises, common people follow, and whatever standards he sets, the whole world pursues.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

In this verse beginning with the words yad yad, Śrī Bhagavān is explaining how ideals are established for the common people.