Foremost among knowers of the Veda
'Yani veda-vidam srestho bhagavan badarayanah' (SB 1.1.7).
Sage
Vyasa
वेदव्यास
Also known as बादरायण · द्वैपायनः · महामुनि · कृष्णद्वैपायनः · कृपणवत्सलः · धर्मवित् · Badarayana · Dvaipayana
Father
Teacher
Suka
Sage
Vyasa is the father of Suka. 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): Vyasa is the father of Suka. 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.)
Vyasa is the teacher of Suka. 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.
Son Parashara SageVyasa is the son of Parashara. Source evidence (SB 1.3.21): Vyasa was born from Parashara: 'parasarat' (SB 1.3.21). Evidence: EXPLICIT.
Student Narada SageVyasa is the student of Narada. Source evidence (SB 1.5.40): Narada instructed Vyasa to compose the Bhagavata: 'prākhyāhi' (SB 1.5.40) — to proclaim Krishna's glories. Evidence: EXPLICIT. Additional source (SB 2.9.44): Vyasa is the student of Narada. Source evidence (SB 2.9.44): Narada told this Bhagavata to Vyasa of measureless splendour, who was meditating on the supreme Brahman on the bank of the Sarasvati: 'naradah praha munaye sarasvatyas tate nripa... vyasayamita-tejase' (SB 2.9.44). Direction: teacher -> disciple. Evidence: EXPLICIT.
Son Satyavati HumanVyasa is the son of Satyavati. Source evidence (SB 1.3.21): Vyasa was born of Satyavati: 'satyavatyam' (SB 1.3.21). Evidence: EXPLICIT.
Cried 'O son!' after the departing Suka
Afflicted by separation he called after his departing son: 'dvaipayano viraha-kataro ajuhava putra iti' (SB 1.2.2).
Divided the Veda-tree for men of small intellect
'Cakre veda-taroh sakhah drstvah pumso 'lpa-medhasah' (SB 1.3.21).
Diagnosed the lack: Bhagavata-dharmas not yet broadly expounded
'Kiṁ vā bhāgavatā dharmā na prāyeṇa nirūpitāḥ' (SB 1.4.31).
Friend and companion of the Lord
At SB 3.4.9 Dvaipayana is called the Lord's 'suhR^it-sakhA', friend and companion; perfect, wandering the worlds, he came by chance upon the Lord on the bank of the Sarasvati: 'dvai-pAyana-suhR^it-sakhA / lokAn anucharan siddha AsasAda yadR^ichChayA'.
Vyasa — foremost knower of — Vedas
Badarayana (Vyasa) is 'the foremost of knowers of the Veda': 'veda-vidam srestho bhagavan badarayanah' (SB 1.1.7). Evidence: EXPLICIT superlative.
Vyasa — avatara of — Krishna
Seventeenth: born of Satyavati from Parashara, the divider of the Veda — the very Vyasa of SB 1.1-2: 'saptadase jatah satyavatyam parasarat' (SB 1.3.21). Same-person consistency verified against 1.1.2/1.1.7/1.2.2-3. Evidence: birth EXPLICIT; list identity STRONG_CONTEXT.
Vyasa — divided — Vedas
Seeing men's slender intellect, He divided the Veda-tree into branches: 'cakre veda-taroh sakhah' (SB 1.3.21). Evidence: EXPLICIT.
Vyasa — born in — Dvapara-yuga
Vyasa was born in Dvapara, the third yuga-turn: 'dvāpare samanuprāpte tṛtīye yuga-paryaye' (SB 1.4.14). Evidence: EXPLICIT.
Vyasa — kala of — Krishna
Vyasa was born as a kala of Hari: 'jātaḥ parāśarād yogī vāsavyāṁ kalayā hareḥ' (SB 1.4.14). Evidence: EXPLICIT.
Vyasa — composed — Mahabharata
Vyasa composed the Bharata out of compassion for those debarred from the Trayi: 'iti bhārata-mākhyaṁ kṛpayā muninā kṛtam' (SB 1.4.25). Evidence: EXPLICIT.
Despite all welfare-work, his heart was not satisfied
'Sarvātmanāpi yadā nātuṣyat hṛdayaṁ' (SB 1.4.26); 'asaṁpanna iva ābhāti' (SB 1.4.30) — the divine discontent that births the Bhagavata.
Vyasa — bathed in — Sarasvati (river)
Vyasa bathed in the Sarasvati river: 'sarasvatyā upaspṛśya jalaṁ' (SB 1.4.15). Distinct from the goddess sarasvati of 1.2.4. Evidence: EXPLICIT.
Vyasa — honored — Narada
Vyasa duly worshipped Narada: 'pūjayām āsa vidhivat nāradaṁ sura-pūjitam' (SB 1.4.33). Evidence: EXPLICIT.