Departed uninitiated, duties abandoned
He left still uninitiated, outward duties abandoned, absorbed in the Absolute: 'yam pravrajantam anupetam apeta-krityam' (SB 1.2.2).
Sage
Suka
शुकदेव
Also known as व्याससूनु · महायोगी · विविक्तदृष्टिः · बादरायणिः · ब्रह्मरातः · शुकदेव · Vyasa-sunu (son of Vyasa) · समदृक्
Śukadeva, son of Vyasa, is the first narrator of the Bhagavata: a muni detached from birth who recited it to the dying Parikshit. SB 1.4.4 describes him — 'a mahā-yogi, equal-sighted, beyond doubt, one-pointed, awake in the Self'; he roamed Hastinapura as one oblivious (1.4.6).
Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa 1.1.3 — Sanskrit Wikisource (pinned oldid=110172)
Son
Student
Vyasa
Sage
Suka is the son of Vyasa. Source evidence (SB 1.2.2): Vyasa (Dvaipayana) is Suka's father: he cried 'O son!' (putra iti) after his departing child, and Suka is 'vyasa-sunu' (SB 1.2.2-3). Evidence: EXPLICIT. Additional source (SB 1.2.3): Suka is the son of Vyasa. Source evidence (SB 1.2.3): Suka is the son of Vyasa: 'tam vyasasunum upayami' (SB 1.2.3). Evidence: EXPLICIT. (Reciprocal edge kept for graph traversal.)
Suka is the student of Vyasa. Source evidence (SB 1.3.41): The venerable rishi taught the Bhagavata to his son, the best of the self-possessed: 'tad idam grahayam asa sutam atma-vatam varam' (SB 1.3.41). Evidence: EXPLICIT.
Teacher Maharaja Parikshit KingSuka is the teacher of Maharaja Parikshit. Source evidence (SB 1.12.28): As the brahmanas foretold, Parikshit would learn the truth of the Self from the sage, son of Vyasa: 'jijnasitatma-yatharthyo muner vyasa-sutad asau' (SB 1.12.28). Direction: pupil -> teacher. Evidence: EXPLICIT.
The trees followed him in absorption
So absorbed was he that the trees, one in that [spirit], followed him: 'tan-mayataya taravo 'bhineduh' (SB 1.2.2).
Declared the essence of shruti as the one lamp of the spiritual
By his own realization he declared the whole essence of shruti, the single lamp for those crossing the blinding dark: 'svanubhavam akhilam shruti-saram ekam adhyatma-dipam' (SB 1.2.3).
Out of compassion revealed the secret Purana
Out of compassion for those in samsara he spoke the secret of the Puranas: 'samsarinam karunaya purana-guhyam aha' (SB 1.2.3).
Best of the self-possessed, taught by his father
'Sutam atma-vatam varam... tad idam grahayam asa' (SB 1.3.41).
Mahā-yogi, sama-dṛk, beyond doubt, awake in the Self
'Tasya putro mahā-yogī sama-dṛk nirvikalpakaḥ ekānta-matir unnidro gūḍho mūḍha iva iyate' (SB 1.4.4).
His detached gaze awed even the womenfolk
The ladies veiled themselves seeing the uninitiated son — moved by his detached gaze (SB 1.4.5).
A naked avadhuta of sixteen years; though his marks were hidden the sages knew him
'dvyashta-varsham... digambaram vaktra-vikirna-kesham' (SB 1.19.26-27); 'pratyutthitas te munayah svasanebhyas tal-lakshana-jna api gudha-varcasam' (SB 1.19.28).
Does not stay in a householder's home even as long as it takes to milk a cow
'na lakshyate hy avasthanam api godohanam kvacit' (SB 1.19.39) — which conveys the urgency of Parikshit's request.
Though established in the attributeless, his mind was captured by the Lord's play
'parinishthito 'pi nairgunye uttamashloka-lilaya grihita-ceta' (SB 2.1.9); hence he studied the Bhagavata — 'adhitavan dvaparadau pitur dvaipayanad aham' (SB 2.1.8).
Accomplished both in the Brahman of words and in the Supreme
'shabde brahmani nishnatah parasmimsh ca bhavan khalu' (SB 2.4.10) — on this qualification Parikshit rests his question about creation.
Suka — taught — Srimad Bhagavata Purana
Out of compassion for those in samsara, Suka spoke the secret of the Puranas - the Bhagavata per SB 1.1.3 ('from Suka's mouth'): 'purana-guhyam aha' (SB 1.2.3). Evidence: STRONG_CONTEXT (the equation purana-guhya = Bhagavata).
Suka — recited bhagavata to — Maharaja Parikshit
Suka recited the Bhagavata — the essence of all Vedas and Itihasas — to Maharaja Parikshit: 'sa tu samsravayam asa maharajam pariksitam' (SB 1.3.42). Evidence: EXPLICIT.
Suka — dialogued with — Maharaja Parikshit
The dialogue between the Pandava royal rishi and the muni came about, wherein the Sātvatī-śruti was uttered: 'pāṇḍaveyasya rājarṣer muninā saha saṁvādaḥ samabhūt' (SB 1.4.7). Evidence: EXPLICIT.
Suka — answered — Maharaja Parikshit
Suka began his answer to Parikshit's question of SB 1.19.37-38: 'variyan esha te prashnah krito loka-hitam nripa' (SB 2.1.1); the answer itself at SB 2.1.5 — the Lord is to be heard, glorified and remembered. Direction: answerer -> questioner. Evidence: EXPLICIT.
Suka — expounded — Virat-Purusha
Suka expounded the Virat-Purusha in answer to Parikshit's question about concentration (SB 2.1.22), beginning 'sthule bhagavato rupe manah sandharayed dhiya' (SB 2.1.23) and running to SB 2.1.38. Evidence: EXPLICIT.