Sukadeva Gosvami appeared in this world as the son of Vyasadeva and, although he was a liberated soul from his conception, he refused to leave his mother’s womb for fear of the material energy. Kṛṣṇa Himself had to go to convince him that he had no reason to be afraid. Thus, when Vyasa recited the Bhagavatam to his wife, Sukadeva came out of his mother’s womb and immediately left the house to wander the world. During his wanderings he met Pariksit, who in those days had learned that he had been cursed by Sringi, the son of the brahmana Samika, to die in seven days. It was on that occasion that Sukadeva Gosvami publicly recited the Bhagavata Purana. Pariksit and Sukadeva Gosvami were not alone; around them gathered a great conclave of saints such as Atri, Vasistha, Cyavana, Saradvat, Brghu, Angira, Visvamitra, Rama, and also Vyasa and Narada, who came to listen.
The complete list of the principal personalities who heard the sacred recitation is found in the Bhagavatam itself (1.19.9, 10 and 11). Among these was also Suta Gosvami, who would later repeat it to the sages of Naimisa. The Bhagavatam begins thus, with Suta faithfully reciting what he learned from Vyasa’s son.
Sukadeva Gosvami is an eternal component of the lilas of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, and the periodic recitation of Srimad-Bhagavatam is part of his eternal tasks. In Goloka Vrindavana he is the parrot of Srimati Radharani (Suka means parrot). When a parrot pecks at a fruit, it becomes even sweeter; similarly, transcendental knowledge, when presented by a devotee of that level, becomes even tastier.
Evidence of the authenticity of Sukadeva’s recitation is given by the fact that Vyasa and Narada, the guru and paramaguru (grandfather-guru) of Sri Sukadeva were also present there. An elementary principle of education does not allow a disciple to speak in front of his superiors, but Srimad-Bhagavatam is transcendental, of divine origin, so in this case etiquette takes second place. Actually, Sukadeva Gosvami did nothing but convey the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. While he was a speaker, he himself was one of the listeners of those divine sounds. He made them even tastier thanks to devotion to Srimati Radharani.
This is a section of the book “Tattva Sandarbha”, in English.
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