Shloka 18
Bhīṣma–Śiśupāla-saṃvādaḥ
Bhishma and Shishupala’s exchange in the assembly
न गाथागाथिनं शास्ति बहु चेदपि गायति । प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि भूलिड्गशकुनिर्यथा
na gāthā-gāthinaṃ śāsti bahu ced api gāyati | prakṛtiṃ yānti bhūtāni bhūliṅga-śakunir yathā ||
Niemand kann einen bloßen Liedersänger wahrhaft belehren, selbst wenn er sie immer wieder vorträgt. Die Wesen folgen ihrer angeborenen Natur — wie der bhūliṅga-Vogel.
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts that repeated instruction or recitation does not transform someone whose conduct is governed by fixed innate nature (prakṛti); beings tend to act according to their disposition, illustrated by the instinct-driven bhūliṅga bird.
In Śiśupāla’s speech during the royal assembly context of the Sabha Parva, he uses a proverb-like comparison to argue that counsel is ineffective against ingrained character, reinforcing his critical, dismissive stance toward moral persuasion.