Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11 Chapter 8 Verse 32

Canto 11: General History | Chapter 8: The Story of Pińgalā

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.8.32

aho mayātmā paritāpito vṛthā

sāńketya-vṛttyāti-vigarhya-vārtayā

straiṇān narād yārtha-tṛṣo 'nuśocyāt

krītena vittaḿ ratim ātmanecchatī

SYNONYMS

aho — oh; mayā — by me; ātmā — the soul; paritāpitaḥ — subjected to great pain; vṛthā — uselessly; sāńketya — 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.

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 Pińgalā, 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.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
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