Shloka 18
Bhīṣma–Śiśupāla-saṃvādaḥ
Bhishma and Shishupala’s exchange in the assembly
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 ||
محض گیت گانے والے کو کوئی حقیقی تعلیم نہیں دے سکتا، چاہے وہ بار بار ہی کیوں نہ گاتا رہے۔ بھولِنگ پرندے کی طرح سب جاندار اپنی اپنی فطرت ہی کی پیروی کرتے ہیں۔
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.