tat tad evetaro janah

sa yat pramanam kurute

lokas tad anuvartate

yat—whatever; yat—and whichever; ācarati—does he act; śreṣṭhaḥ—respectable leader; tat—that; tat—and that alone; eva—certainly; itaraḥ—common; janaḥ—person; saḥ—he; yat—whichever; pramāṇam—evidence; kurute—does perform; lokaḥ—all the world; tat—that; anuvartate—follow in the footsteps.

Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.

trisu lokesu kincana

nanavaptam avaptavyam

varta eva ca karmani

na—none; me—Mine; pārtha—O son of Pṛthā; asti—there is; kartavyam—any prescribed duty; triṣu—in the three; lokeṣu—planetary systems; kiñcana—anything; na—no; anavāptam—in want; avāptavyam—to be gained; varte—engaged; eva—certainly; ca—also; karmaṇi—in one’s prescribed duty.

O son of Pṛthā, there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary systems. Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I need to obtain anything-and yet I am engaged in work.

jatu karmany atandritah

mama vartmanuvartante

manusyah partha sarvasah

yadi—if; hi—certainly; aham—I; na—do not; varteyam—thus engage; jātu—ever; karmaṇi—in the performance of prescribed duties; atandritaḥ—with great care; mama—My; vartma—path; anuvartante—would follow; manuṣyāḥ—all men; pārtha—O son of Pṛthā; sarvaśaḥ—in all respects.