Man is essentially an imitating animal. This is a psychological truth. The moral rejuvenation of a society in any period of history can take place only because of the example set up by the leaders of that nation. Students can be disciplined only when teachers are well-behaved; the minor officials cannot be kind and honest when the rulers of the country are corrupt tyrants. Children’s behaviour depends entirely upon, and is ever controlled by, the standard of purity and culture of their parents.

With this Krishna raises his next argument on why Arjuna should act in the world. Unless he diligently acts, the chances are that the entire community will follow the low standard of retreat from action set up by him and thus they will ultimately invite a general decadence of culture in life.

Now, to emphasise the point and to make a lasting impression upon Arjuna of the teaching so far given (III-4 to 21), Lord Krishna indicates himself as an example. The Lord, though already a liberated soul (Mukta), is acting diligently, without attachment, as a model, for his generation to rise up above the slothfulness of the age into vigorous activity.

The very creed of Krishna is “active resistance to evil.” His non-violence is not the instinctive incapacity of the day-dreaming coward who cannot stand up against injustice and fight for the accepted principles of national culture. There could not have been any doubt now left in the mind of Arjuna regarding the efficacy of the ‘Path-of-Action’ advised to him.

“IF YOU HAVE A DOUBT AS REGARDS THE NECESSITY FOR WORKING FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MASSES, WHY DO YOU NOT OBSERVE ME? WHY DO YOU NOT FOLLOW MY EXAMPLE, AND TRY TO PREVENT THE MASSES FROM GOING ASTRAY, SETTING UP FOR THEM AN EXAMPLE IN YOURSELF?”

Yat yat, [This is according to the Ast. The G1. Pr. reads, yat yat yesu yesu.-Tr.] whatever action; a sresthah, superior person, a leader; acarati, does; itarah, another; janah, person, who follows him; does tat tat eva, that very action. Further, yat, whatever; sah, he, the superior person; kurute, upholds; as pramanam, authority, be it Vedic or secular; lokah, an ordinary person; anuvartate, follows; tat, that, i.e. he accepts that very thing as authoritative. ‘If you have a doubt here with regard to the duty of preventing people from straying, then why do you not observe Me?’