Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 96
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः । स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते
yadyadācarati śreṣṭhastattadevetaro janaḥ | sa yatpramāṇaṃ kurute lokastadanuvartate
ശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ എന്തെല്ലാം ആചരിക്കുന്നുവോ അതുതന്നെ മറ്റുള്ളവർ ചെയ്യുന്നു; അവൻ സ്ഥാപിക്കുന്ന മാനദണ്ഡം ലോകം പിന്തുടരുന്നു.
Nakula (contextual continuation)
Scene: A luminous ‘best person’ walks a path; behind, a line of people mirror each step. The leader sets a measuring rod/standard (pramāṇa) that becomes a visible guideline across the landscape.
FAQs
Leaders and the virtuous must live dharma publicly, because society imitates their conduct and standards.
No; the verse is a universal dharma principle rather than a tīrtha-māhātmya passage.
None; it prescribes exemplary behavior as a social-spiritual duty.