SB 11.8.32 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

अहो मयात्मा परितापितो वृथा साङ्केत्यवृत्त्यातिविगर्ह्यवार्तया । स्त्रैणान्नराद् यार्थतृषोऽनुशोच्यात् क्रीतेन वित्तं रतिमात्मनेच्छती ॥ ३२ ॥

Verse text

aho mayātmā paritāpito vṛthā sāṅketya-vṛttyāti-vigarhya-vārtayā straiṇān narād yārtha-tṛṣo ’nuśocyāt krītena vittaṁ ratim ātmanecchatī

Synonyms

aho — oh ; mayā — by me ; ātmā — the soul ; paritāpitaḥ — subjected to great pain ; vṛthā — uselessly ; sāṅketya — of a prostitute ; vṛttyā — by the occupation ; ati — vigarhya — most reprehensible ; vārtayā — occupation ; straiṇāt — from lusty woman-hunters ; narāt — from men ; yā — who (me) ; artha — tṛṣaḥ — from the greedy ; anuśocyāt — the pitiable ; krītena — with that which was sold ; vittam — money ; ratim — sex pleasure ; ātmanā — with my body ; icchatī — desiring .

Translation

Oh, how I have uselessly tortured my own soul! I have sold my body to lusty, greedy men who are themselves objects of pity. Thus practicing the most abominable profession of a prostitute, I hoped to get money and sex pleasure.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Oh, how I have uselessly tortured my own soul by the profession of despicable prostitution! I desired pleasure and wealth from pitiable, greedy, lusty men by selling my body. I desired pleasure and wealth from lusty men by selling my body.

Purport

The art of prostitution is based on awakening the enjoying propensity in men. Apparently this prostitute was so foolish that she maintained a romantic conception of her profession and was actually trying to enjoy loving affairs with her customers, not realizing that they were the lowest of men with the most abominable motives. Like the prostitute Piṅgalā, one should understand that by giving up the devotional service of the Lord one simply becomes a victim of the illusory energy and suffers greatly.