Verse 338: Bound by receiving

338. Bound by receiving

கொடையென்னும் தூண்டில் கொடுத்தவன் கையில்விடையில்லா மீனாம் பெறின்

kodaiyennum thoondil koduthavan kaiyilvidaiyillaa meenaam perin

Giving is a hook; whoever receives is a fish held in the giver’s hand, with no getting free.
The verse gives the giver no motive and no bait: the hook is not a trick hidden inside the gift but the giving itself.