यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥
yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ |sa yat pramāṇaṃ kurute lokas tad anuvartate ||
- यत् यत् · yad yad
- whatever
- आचरति · ācarati
- does, practices
- श्रेष्ठः · śreṣṭhaḥ
- the best, the eminent
- तत् तत् · tat tad
- that very (thing)
- एव · eva
- indeed
- इतरः · itaraḥ
- the other, the rest
- जनः · janaḥ
- people
- सः · saḥ
- he
- यत् · yat
- what
- प्रमाणम् · pramāṇam
- standard, authority
- कुरुते · kurute
- sets, makes
- लोकः · lokaḥ
- the world, people
- अनुवर्तते · anuvartate
- follows
“Whatever the eminent one does, other people do just the same. Whatever standard he sets, the world follows.”
— Original plain-language translation
IN SHORT People copy your example, so live the way you hope others will.
Leadership ethics in a single couplet: the prominent are copied, for better or worse. Arjuna, as a prince and hero, carries this weight whether he wants it or not. His refusal to fight would itself teach avoidance to thousands. Like junior staff copying a manager who arrives on time or cuts corners.
— Reader's notes (original)