यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
श्रेष्ठ मनुष्य जोजो आचरण करता है, दूसरे मनुष्य वैसावैसा ही आचरण करते हैं । वह जो कुछ प्रमाण देता है, दूसरे मनुष्य उसीके अनुसार आचरण करते हैं ॥
English
Whatever the best person does, others follow. Whatever standard they set, the world copies.
What this verse means
People copy the conduct of those they admire. A respected person's actions become the standard others imitate.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, Krishna is still teaching Arjuna how to act when the battle has not yet begun. He shows that leaders shape the behavior of everyone watching them, so Arjuna's conduct will matter far beyond his own life.
Why this verse still matters
A parent answers a rude message with calm. A child sees it, and that response becomes normal. People learn more from what you repeatedly do than from what you say.
The takeaway
Your choices matter beyond you. Example quietly teaches more than instruction.
Word-by-word translation
यद्यत् (whatever) / आचरति (does, practices) / श्रेष्ठः (the best person) / तत् तत् एव (that very same) / इतरः (other) / जनः (people) / सः (that person) / यत् (whatever) / प्रमाणं (standard, authority) / कुरुते (sets, makes) / लोकः (the world, people) / तत् (that) / अनुवर्तते (follows)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3: Karma Yoga — The Yoga of Action, which contains 43 verses.