We know of four sons of Veda Vyasa.
- One was Dhritarashtra, the blind son, born through Niyoga, of Ambika, per the order of his mother Satyavati. Ambika was the widow of his step-brother Vichitravirya and by birth, the princess of Kasi. Dhritarahtra’s kingly aspirations turned him to adharma and was one of the causes of the Mahabharata war. His blindness is also seen as symbolic of his partiality to his son and blindness to his faults. His name itself is suggestive of someone who held to his kingdom firmly and there are those who wonder what his actual name was. His sons were Duryodhana and the other Kauravas.
- Another was Pandu, the albino, born through Niyoga, per the order of his mother Satyavati, of Ambalika, the widow of his step-brother Vichitravirya and by birth, the princess of Kasi. He was valorous but eventually cursed and left the kingdom. His sons (through Niyoga) were the Pandavas. Again Pandu means Albino, so we are not very sure of his real name.
- The wise Vidura, was born of Vyasa and a maid deputed by the princesses, to avoid directly disobeying Satyavati’s order. His knowledge of law and ethics was so perfect that he was also called Dharma. Again Vidura derived of the root Vid, means the knowledgeable one. Sri Krishna preferred staying with Vidura rather than with Duryodhana. Kunthi too stayed with Vidura rather than Dhritarashtra when her sons were unfairly exiled.
But it is Vyasa’s son born in the forest of a Suka Jathi Sthri, who was his perfect and greatest son. There are many who believe that Suka’s mother was not a lady of the Suka tribe but a real parrot. Faith is faith! I have no arguments against faith. It may also be that he was the only son and student of Vyasa with a perfect memory who was able to recite without any omissions the entire Bhagavatham. The epithet Suka, may actually refer to his perfect memory. Some illustrations draw him with a green parrot head.
Suka was a realised soul by birth. More advanced than Vyasa himself.
Source : 1.4.4
sama-dṛń nirvikalpakaḥ
ekānta-matir unnidro
gūḍho mūḍha iveyate
He was such a perfect Yogi and Advaitin, that he appeared to some like a dullard.
One day Suka took off to renounce the world even though his Yajnopavitam ceremony had not been performed. Vyasa called after him. But since Suka was one with the universe., it was nature herself who answered Vyasa on behalf of Suka.
Source : 1.4.5
dṛṣṭvānuyāntam ṛṣim ātmajam apy anagnaḿ
devyo hriyā paridadhur na sutasya citram
tad vīkṣya pṛcchati munau jagadus tavāsti
strī-pum-bhidā na tu sutasya vivikta-dṛṣṭeḥ
When Suka passed past some bathing damsels, he took no notice of them nor they of him, though he was young and unmarried. When Vyasa followed behind Suka trying to catch up with him, the ladies hurriedly covered themselves up, though he was old and a rishi. Vyasa asked them why they took notice of an old man, when they took no notice of his young son. Then they explained that Suka was a Samadrik, a person who saw no difference between man and woman, but that Vyasa had not yet reached that stage.
Source 1.19.25: Once, Suka came to the place where Parikshit was sitting on the banks of the Ganga, with a plan to fast to death. (Parikshit was the father of Janamejaya, and the son of Abhimanyu and grandson of Arjuna)
“He did not manifest any symptoms of belonging to any social order or status of life. He was surrounded with women and children, and he dressed as if others had neglected him. SB 1.19.26: This son of Vyāsadeva was only sixteen years old. His legs, hands, arms, shoulders, forehead and the other parts of his body were all delicately formed. His eyes were beautifully wide, and his nose and ears were highly raised. He had a very attractive face, and his neck was well formed and beautiful like a conchshell. His arms were long, and curly hair was strewn over his beautiful face. The hue of his body reflected that of Lord Kṛṣṇa. SB 1.19.28: He was blackish and very beautiful due to his youth. Because of the glamor of his body and his attractive smiles, he was pleasing to women. Though he tried to cover his natural glory, the great sages present there were all expert in the art of physiognomy, and so they honored him by rising from their seats.”
Then questioned by Parikshit and all the sages assembled there, Suka Deva narrated the Srimad Bhagavatam.
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