13.39
dvadasa vatsara sesa rahila nilacale
premavastha sikhaila asvadana-cchale
SYNONYMS
dvadasa—twelve; vatsara—years; sesa—balance; rahila—remained; nilacale—at Jagannatha Puri; prema-avastha—a state of ecstasy; sikhaila—instructed everyone; asvadana-chale—under the plea of tasting it Himself.
For the remaining twelve years He stayed in Jagannatha Puri, He taught everyone how to taste the transcendental mellow ecstasy of love of Krsna by tasting it Himself.
PURPORT
A person who is advanced in Krsna consciousness always feels separation from Krsna because such a feeling of separation excels the feeling of meeting Krsna.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in His last twelve years of existence within this world at Jagannatha Puri, taught the people of the world how, with a feeling of separation, one can develop His dormant love of Krsna.
Such feelings of separation or meeting with Krsna are different stages of love of Godhead.
These feelings develop in time when a person seriously engages in devotional service.
The highest stage is called prema-bhakti, but this stage is attained by executing sadhana-bhakti.
One should not try to elevate himself artificially to the stage of prema-bhakti without seriously following the regulative principles of sadhana-bhakti prema-bhakti is the stage of relishing, whereas sadhana-bhakti is the stage of improving in devotional service.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught this cult of devotional service in full detail by practical application in His own life.
It is said, therefore, apani acari’ bhakti sikhaimu sabare.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself, and in the role of a krsna-bhakta, a devotee of Krsna, He instructed the entire world how one can execute devotional service and thus go back home, back to Godhead, in due course of time.