य: स्वभावो हि यस्यास्ति स नित्यं दुरतिक्रम: ।
श्वा यदि क्रियते राजा तत् किं नाश्नात्युपानहम् ॥
yaḥ svabhāvo hi yasyāsti sa nityaṁ duratikramaḥ |
śvā yadi kriyate rājā tat kiṁ nāśnāty upānaham ||
(Unknown source)
“The svabhāva one has is always difficult to overcome. If a dog is made a king, does he not eat shoes?”
Commentary
Even if a dog is made a king, his innate inclination to chew on shoes will not go away even though such an act is unthinkable for a king.