BG 3.21
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।
स यत्प्रमाणंकुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥
स यत्प्रमाणंकुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥
yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute lokas tad anuvartate
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute lokas tad anuvartate
Word-for-word meanings
yat yat — whatever [action]; śreṣṭhaḥ — a great person; ācarati — performs; tat tat eva — that and that alone; itaraḥ — common; janaḥ — people [emulate]; yat — whatever; pramāṇam — standard; saḥ — he; kurute — sets; lokaḥ — common people; anuvartate — follow; tat — that.
Translation
Whatever action a great person performs, the general populace emulates. Whatever standard such an eminent person sets, common people follow.