Shloka 18
न गाथागाथिनं शास्ति बहु चेदपि गायति । प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि भूलिड्गशकुनिर्यथा,कोई भी गीत गानेवालेको कुछ सिखा नहीं सकता, चाहे वह कितनी ही बार क्यों न गाता हो। भूलिंग पक्षीकी भाँति सब प्राणी अपनी प्रकृतिका ही अनुसरण करते हैं
na gāthā-gāthinaṃ śāsti bahu ced api gāyati | prakṛtiṃ yānti bhūtāni bhūliṅga-śakunir yathā ||
ไม่มีผู้ใดสั่งสอน “ผู้ขับขานแต่บทเพลง” ได้อย่างแท้จริง ต่อให้เขาขับร้องซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า สรรพสัตว์ทั้งหลายย่อมดำเนินไปตามสันดานเดิมของตน—ดุจดังนกภูหลิงคะ
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.