Shankaracharya's commentary, trans. Alladi Mahadeva Sastry (1897)
[1]Whatever a great man does, that very thing common men do; what standard he sets, by that the people conduct themselves.
BG 3.21
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः । स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥
yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ | sa yat pramāṇaṃ kurute lokas tad anuvartate ||
"Whatever the great one does, others follow. The standard they set — the world adopts. Lead by example."
All public-domain translations
5 translations · all pre-1928 or released to public domain · sources
Swami Swarupananda, Srimad Bhagavad Gita (1909)
[4]Whatsoever a great man does, that other men also do; the standard he sets up, by that the people go.
William Quan Judge, The Bhagavad Gita (1890)
[6]Whatever is done by the great man, that alone others do; whatever standard he sets up, by that the generality of men act.
Sir Edwin Arnold, The Song Celestial (1885)
[7]As the unwise work, so works the wise man, but without desire, And only for the world's good. What the best Doth, that the rest will practise; what he proves, The world will follow.
K.T. Telang, Sacred Books of the East Vol. 8 (1882)
[9]Whatever a great man does, that other men also do; whatever standard he sets, that the people follow.