Śri Śuka Vimarśa

Śrī Rādhāramaṇau Jayataḥ

yaḥ svānubhāvam akhila-śruti-sāram ekam

adhyātma-dīpam atititīrṣatāṁ tamo ’ndham

saṁsāriṇāṁ karuṇayāha purāṇa-guhyaṁ

taṁ vyāsa-sūnum upayāmi guruṁ munīnām

Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto him, the spiritual master of all sages, the son of Vyāsadeva, who, out of his great compassion for those gross materialists who struggle to cross over the darkest regions of material existence, spoke this most confidential supplement to the cream of Vedic knowledge, after having personally assimilated it by experience.

In recent times we have heard in kathās that Śrī Śuka was the pet parrot of Śrīmati Rādhārāṇi. However this is not true, we will show the same in the article henceforth. Śrīla Prabhupāda and the pūrvācāryas never endorsed this idea, however a group of modern devotees have done it, 'jīvavākyeṣu labhyante jīvadharmmā bhramādayaḥ,' though they should not be disrespected but the correct knowledge must be spoken out. It was Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Gaurava Narasingha Mahārāja who raised this issue first in this article however we don't know why he has tried to diminish the position of Śrī Śukadeva in the later part of the article. Thus we will answer both of these parties together. 

There are three facets of Śrī Śuka's Origin, from three different texts Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa, Mahābhārata's mokṣadharma parva, Skanda purāṇa and Devībhāgavataṁ all of which are accepted by the ācāryas in right mood of knowledge in skanda purāṇa Śrī Vyāsa is said to have accepted a wife "patnīsaṃgrahaṇaṃ jātaṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanasya tu, śāstroktena vidhānena patnī pālayatastathā." In Brahma vaivarta purāṇa upon the boon of Śrī Kṛṣṇa he came out of his Mother's womb only at the promise that māyā won't touch him, this is accepted view of Śrīla Jīva gosvāmī "ayaṃ bhāvaḥ brahma-vaivartānusāreṇa pūrvaṃ tāvad ayaṃ garbham ārabhya śrī-kṛṣṇasya svaritayā māyā-nivārakatvaṃ jñātavān | tatra śrī-vyeda-vyāsas tu taṃ vaśīkartuṃ tad-ananya-sādhanaṃ śrī-bhāgavatam eva jñātvā, tad- guṇātiśaya-prakāśamayāṃs tadīya-padya-viśeṣān kathañcc chrāvayitvā tena tam ākṣipta-matiṃ kṛtvā, tad eva pūrṇaṃ tam adhyāpayāmāseti śrī- bhāgavata-mahimātiśayaḥ proktaḥ | [T.S 49]" "The meaning is this. According to Brahma-vaivarta Purāna, previously, starting from his stay in the womb of his mother, Śukadeva was aware that Krsna personally could ward off māyā. Vyāsadeva brought Krsna and Krsna showed himself to Śukadeva in the womb. Since māyā was thus removed, thinking himself successful, Sukadeva came out of the womb and left the house. In order to control him, Vyāsa taught him Bhāgavatam, which produces nothing except attraction to Krsna. Making him hear particular verses which revealed Krsna's great qualities, Vyāsa agitated his mind. Then he made him study the full Bhāgavatam." in the commentary on this Śrīla Baladeva says "brahma-vaivarte śuko yoni-jātaḥ, bhārate tv ayoni-jātaḥ kathyate | dāra-grahaṇaṃ kanyā-santatiś ceti | tad etat sarvaṃ kalpa-bhedena saṅgamanīyam ||", "In Brahma-vaivarata Purāna it is explained that Śukadeva was born from a womb, but in Mahābhārata it is said that he was not born from a womb. Mahābhārata says Sukadeva appeared from the fire of a stick of wood. It is also described that he accepted a wife and had a daughter. This is adjusted by explaining that the differing events happened in a different day of Brahmā." He accepted a wife and had a daughter by the name Kṛtvi she is mentioned in Bhāgavata 9.21.25, but we can't say so, Śukadeva didn't actually indulge in material life, the one who did was Chāyā śuka a substitute given by Śrī Śiva this is mentioned in Śānti parva "chāyāṃ svaputrasadṛśīṃ sarvato 'napagāṃ sadā drakṣyase tvaṃ ca loke 'smin matprasādān mahāmune". Śrī Śuka had achieved Jīvan Mukti and was always immersed in Brahma-cintana, Śrī Vyāsa however read to him the sātvata saṁhitā the later part is already quoted from Tattva sandarbha.

Śrī Madhvācārya in his magnum opus Mahābhārata Tātparya Nirṇaya gives the following account—

athāsya putratvamavāptumicchaṃścacāra rudraḥ sutapastadīyam, dadau ca tasmai bhagavān varaṃ taṃ svayaṃ ca taptveva tapo vimoayan. vimohanāyāsurasargiṇāṃ prabhuḥ svayaṃ karotīva tapaḥ pradarśaet,kāmādidoṣāṃśca mṛṣaiva darśayenna tāvatā teʼsya hi santi kutrait. tatastvaraṇyā sma babhūva putrakaḥ śivoʼsya soʼbhūcchukanāmdheyaḥ, śukī hi bhūtvāʼbhyagamad ghṛtācī vyāsaṃ vimathnantamutāraṇī tam. akāmayan kāmukavat sa bhūtvā tayāʼrthitastaṃ śukanāmadheyam,cakre hyaraṇyostanayaṃ ca sṛṣṭvā vimohayaṃstattvamārgeṣvayogyān.

Rudra desiring to be born as Vyasa‘s son performed penance. Bhagavan Vyasa also enacted to have performed penance , misleading the undeserving souis, He granted the boon desired by Śiva. Vyasa who is Omnipotent in order to create illusion in the mind of the undeserving appears to perform penance. He just exhibits as though He possesses sensual desires. That does not mean that He has these defects. Later Shiva was born from the parrot. He was named śuka as he was born from a female parrot. It is because the apsara Ghṛtāci had come as a parrot while Vyasa was doing 'aranimathana'. Vedavyasa did not desire Ghṛtāci. Those who are unfit to tread the path of 'tatva' had to be misled. Thus he enacted to  do so and thus make a son to be born through the parrot and according to the wish of Ghṛtāci named him Śuka.

This is backed by Brahmavaivarta purāṇa "vyāsaputraḥ śivāṁśaśca śukaśca jñānināṁ varaḥ"

Śrī Bhagavān has said "tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān saṁsāreṣu narādhamān, kṣipāmy ajasram aśubhān āsurīṣv eva yoniṣu. āsurīṁ yonim āpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani mām aprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yānty adhamāṁ gatim" "Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, I perpetually cast into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life. Attaining repeated birth amongst the species of demoniac life, O son of Kuntī, such persons can never approach Me. Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of existence." [BG 16.19-20]

If We read through this part of Mahābharata " ghṛtācīṃ nāmāpsarasam apaśyad bhagavān ṛṣiḥ, ṛṣir apsarasaṃ dṛṣṭvā sahasā kāmamohitaḥ." here the term Bhagavān shows that Śrī Vyāsa is Śrī Bhagavān endowed with six bhagas one of them is vairāgya "aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣaṇṇāṁ bhagam itīṅganā", also the term Ṛṣi is defined as "ऋषि पु० ऋषति ज्ञानेन संसारपारं ऋषी गतौ कि । ज्ञानेन संसारपारगते" "A sage (ऋषि), with knowledge (ज्ञानेन), crosses the worldly existence (संसारपारं). A sage who has attained (गतौ) the state of going beyond the world (संसार) through knowledge is called ऋषी." Thus we understand that Śrī Vyāsa is Bhagavāna hence ātmarāma, he doesn't desire anyone or anything, here 'kāmamohita' means he desired to Create progeny, as Śrī Nārayāṇa desired at the dawn of creation "atha puruṣo ha vai nārāyaṇo'kāmayata prajāḥ sṛjeyeti", mohita  would mean he was in the sway of his own nature as said "sṛṣṭy-ādikaṁ harir naiva prayojanam apekṣya tu | kurute kevalānandād yathā mattasya nartanam ||" Thus we have understood the kalpa-bhedas in true meaning.

Thus the birth of Śrī Śuka has been described none of them have any connection with being a parrot in Nityalīlā as a nityasiddha, also we find the names of Śrīmati Rādhārāni and Kṛṣṇa's pets in the book Rādhākṛṣṇa gannodeśa dipīkā thus quoting "śārike sūkṣmadhī-śubhe" "The two Śāris female parrots are of the name Śubhā and sūkṣmadhi" also it's necessary to note that they are śāris and not Śuka, in nityalīlā Rādhārāṇi doesn't have a Śuka, there are no male attendent in Rādhikā's regime also we find mention in Govinda lilāmṛta of śuka and śāri who are called Vṛndādevi's śiṣyas "vṛndāpy āyāt sva-śiṣyau sā bālau vidyā-viśāradau | kalokti-mañjuvāk-saṁjñau gṛhītvā sārikā-śukau ||" in commentary of none of the texts viz. Ānanda vṛndāvana campu and Govinda līlāmṛta did Śrī Viśvanātha cakravarti ṭhākura give any hint that any of those parrots become Śukadeva or anything similar to that. Rather Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī counts Śrī Śuka among kṛpā siddhas "kṛpāsiddhā yajñapatnī vairocani śukādayaḥ." BRS 2.1.289 also a verse is quoted, spoken to Śrī Śuka by Śrī Nārada "na kācid abhavad guror bhajana-yantraṇe 'bhijñatā na sādhana-vidhau ca te śrama-lavasya gandho 'py abhūt | gato 'si caritārthatāṃ paramahaṃsa-mṛgya-śriyā mukunda-pada-padmayoḥ praṇaya-sīdhuno dhārayā ||" "You are not known to have suffered pains in the service of the guru, and you have trace of exerting even a drop of labor in following the rules of sādhana. But you have succeeded in attaining the river of nectar of prema coming from the two lotus feet of Mukunda, which are the wealth sought by the paramahaṃsas." Thus we understand that Śrī Śuka is a Kṛpā siddha one shouldn't say how can he exist in different kalpas, for its like a post like that of Indra. Also being a mukta one can traverse to any loka as per their desire in paravyoma and here as well. A famous story quoted by the believers of the parrot theory is given (taken from the article of BGNM)— 

“Radha’s pet parrot (śuka) used to sit on Her left hand while She would affectionately feed him the seeds from pomegranate fruit. She would pet him affectionately telling him “Bolo Krsna! Bolo Krsna!” This parrot would then sweetly utter the Names of Krsna. “One day that suka flew away to Nandagrama to Krsna who was sitting within a kunja (Garden) with His friend Madhumangala and others. The suka sat on a branch of a pomegranate tree and very sweetly began to utter Krsna’s Name, “Krsna, Krsna.” Krsna looked toward the suka and was moved. The parrot spoke again, “Oh, I am very wretched and unfortunate. I am krtaghna, ungrateful, and don’t recognize the good qualities of anyone. For I have left my mistress and have come here.” He uttered this in such a pitiable manner that Krsna was both astonished and impressed. He at once took the parrot, who was Srimati Radhika’s own, in His hand and began to fondle him.

“After Krsna’s manifest lila ended, by the order of Krsna, the parrot, to manifest Bhagavatam, remained in this world. Later, he entered into the mouth of Vyasadeva’s wife and remained for 16 years. This Sukadeva is “sriya suka,” the suka of Srimati Radharani.”

The entire story has no ground in the sampradāya, the first part also do not match with any grantha, in Ānada Vṛndāvana campu— "śuko'pyāśukopyācañcadavaṭurvaṭukṛṣṇayormadhyavartī kṛṣṇadattaṁ kṛtāmodanamodanamaśnan kiñcidvivakṣuriva yadyudgrīva āsīt" it is actually not correct to say that Rādhārāni's parrot entered a kuñja rather it entered Nanda Bhavana, also if it was Rādhārāni's parrot or a normal parrot that's also ambigious anyways it didn't speak "I am krtaghna... etc" One may refer to the 10th stavaka of Ānanda Vṛndāvana campu to understand this story.

“After Krsna’s manifest lila ended, by the order of Krsna, the parrot, to manifest Bhagavatam, remained in this world. Later, he entered into the mouth of Vyasadeva’s wife and remained for 16 years. This Sukadeva is “sriya suka,” the suka of Srimati Radharani.”

This part is even more absurd, because we find mention of Śukadeva gosvāmī in sabhāparva also because of the fact that Śrī Bhiṣma narrates his birth story and how he attained Jīvana mukti in Śānti parva when Śrī Kṛṣṇa's pastimes are still manifest.

Thus we understand that this story is completely bogus, Śrīman Haripārṣada prabhu in one his lectures mentioned that this story has originated from a local sthala purāṇa of Oḍiśa 'ekāmra purāṇa' also we find that this story popularised by Śrī Karpātri Jī in one of his books most probably Bhāgavata Sudhā or Bhakti Sudhā which we couldn't confirm as Archive.org is offline.

Some are of the opinion that Chāyā Śuka spoke the Bhāgavata saying that Sukadeva had already 'gone', which is not true!, They must have read the concerned verse in detail 'śukas tu mārutād ūrdhvaṃ gatiṃ kṛtvāntarikṣagām, darśayitvā prabhāvaṃ svaṃ brahmabhūto 'bhavat tadā' it is to be noted that he didn't cast away his body, we know from the verdict of Chāngodya upaniṣad 'sa svarāḍ bhavati tasya sarveṣu lokeṣu kāma-cāro bhavati' that a mukta jīva becomes free to travel in any planetary system he desires the same is found in the introduction of Śrī Śuka in the first canto of Bhāgavata "tatrābhavad bhagavān vyāsa-putro yadṛcchayā gām aṭamāno ’napekṣaḥ" "There, the Lord, the son of Vyasa, who is mobile by his will, without any specific purpose other than to recite the Bhāgavata." Thus we understand that this incident happened after Śrī Śuka became siddha thus we see even the older sages offered him respects by rising from their sits "pratyutthitās te munayaḥ svāsanebhyas tal-lakṣaṇa-jñā api gūḍha-varcasam", also 'atra yadyapi tatra śrī-vyāsa-nāradau tasyāpi guru-parama-gurū, tathāpi punas tan-mukha-niḥsṛtaṃ śrī-bhāgavataṃ tayor apy aśrutacaram iva jātam ity evaṃ śrī-śukas tāv apy upadideśa deśyam ity abhiprāyaḥ | yad uktaṃ śuka- mukhād amṛta-dravya-saṃyutam (1.1.3) iti |' "Śrī Vyāsadeva and Nārada Muni were present in that assembly. Although these two sages were Śri śuka's guru and grandguru, respectively, when they heard Śrimad Bhāgavatam issuing from his lips, they felt as if they had never heard it before. For this reason it is said here that he taught this most significant wisdom even to them (one must understand that Śrīla Vyāsadeva is omnicient to understand the glories of Bhāgavatam and why was he present in the satra of śukadeva this explanation has been given by Śrī jīva). As mentioned earlier, śukamukhād amṛta-drava-samyutam: The Bhāgavatam is enriched with nectarean juice from the mouth of śuka" (Bhag. 1.1.3)." Thus the claim of Chāya Śuka being the speaker of Bhāgavata has been shown to be false. Also the word "alakṣyaliṅgo" "Bereft of Linga viz, Antahkaraṇa", only possible after liṅgabhaṅga not otherwise.

Another theory which is popularised which says that Śrī śuka was a mere peon of Bhāgavata, in other words he was mechanical, is also not true. As we know from the Bhāgavata's 3rd śloka "śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam", if Śukadeva was only a mechanical speaker then this statement will become untrue, it is well known that Bhagavān himself is the  teacher of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa as said "kasmai yena vibhāsito ’yam atulo jñāna-pradīpaḥ purā tad-rūpeṇa ca nāradāya munaye kṛṣṇāya tad-rūpiṇā yogīndrāya tad-ātmanātha bhagavad-rātāya kāruṇyatas tac chuddhaṁ vimalaṁ viśokam amṛtaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi" "I meditate upon that pure and spotless Supreme Absolute Truth, who is free from suffering and death and who in the beginning personally revealed this incomparable torchlight of knowledge to Brahmā. Brahmā then spoke it to the sage Nārada, who narrated it to Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa. Śrīla Vyāsa revealed this Bhāgavatam to the greatest of sages, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and Śukadeva mercifully spoke it to Mahārāja Parīkṣit." in the paramātma sandarbha Śrī Jīva gosvāmī explains this verse —

athopasaṃhāra-vākyasyāpy ayam arthaḥ | kasmai garbhodaka-śāyi-puruṣa-nābhi-kamalasthāya brahmaṇe tatraiva yena mahā- vaikuṇṭhaṃ darśayatā dvitīya-skandha-varṇita-tādṛśa-śrī-mūrty-ādinā bhagavatā vibhāsitaḥ prakāśitaḥ na tu tadāpi racitaḥ ayaṃ śrī-bhāgavata- rūpaḥ purā pūrva-parārdhādau tad-rūpeṇa brahma-rūpeṇa tad-rūpiṇā śrī- nārada-rūpiṇā yogīndrāya śrī-śukāya tad-ātmanā śrī-kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana- rūpeṇa | tad-ātmanety asyottareṇānvayaḥ | tatra tad-ātmanā śrī-śuka- rūpeṇeti jñeyam | tad-rūpeṇety ādibhis tribhiḥ padair na kevalaṃ catuḥśloky eva tena prakāśitā kiṃ tarhi tatra tatrāviṣṭenākhaṇḍam eva purāṇam iti dyotitam |atra mad-rūpeṇa ca yuṣmabhyam iti saṅkocenānukto'pi śrī-sūta-vākya-śeṣo gamyaḥ | 

Now, the meaning of the concluding statement [SB 12.13.19] is given. The word kasmai means "unto Brahmā," who was seated on the lotus sprouted from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Purușa. In that very place, the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam was revealed (vibhā- sitah) to him by Bhagavān, who was endowed with the divine form described in the Second Canto. Bhagavän did so while dis- playing Mahā-Vaikuņțha (to Brahmā). The verb vibhāsita, "it was revealed," signifies that the Bhāgavatam was not composed even at that time by Him (Bhagavān). The pronoun ayam (this) refers to [the peerless lamp of knowledge] in the form of Śrimad Bhāgavatam. The word purā ("in the distant past") means "at the beginning of the first half of Brahmā's life."The compound tad-rūpena, "in that form," means, "in the form of Brahma" [Bhagavān later disclosed the Bhāgavatam to Nārada]. Tad-rūpiņā, "in that form," means, "in the form of Nārada" [Bhagavān then disclosed the Bhāgavatam to Vyāsa]. The compound tad-ātmanā, "in His own form," means, "in the form of Krsņa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa" [He disclosed the Bhāgavatam] to the master of yogīs, Śrī Śuka. The compound tad-ātmanā, "in His own form," is also to be syntactically connected with the immediately succeeding com- pound [bhagavad-rātāya]. Its meaning would then be, "in the form of Suka" [He disclosed the Bhāgavatam to Bhagavad-rāta, Parīkșit]. The three compounds - tad-rūpeņa, tad-rūpiņā, and tad-ātmanā - indicate that He revealed not only the Bhāgava- tam condensed into its four seed verses, but by empowering each [subsequent] speaker, He revealed the complete Purāņa. Here, although out of modesty Sūta does not say, "and in the form of myself [He disclosed it] unto you," such a statement is to be understood to complete the sense.

One way of understanding the word "nigama" is that which comes from eternal breath of the Lord, one can say to this, that 'nigama' here means the eternal Bhāgavata  which is coming from Bhagavāna and is eternal 'itihāsapurāṇam pañcama vedānām veda [chāndogya, nārada sanata saṃvāda] 'to which Śrī śuka added his realisations thus "śukamukhād amṛtadrava samyutam". Thus He says "pariniṣṭhito ’pi nairguṇya uttama-śloka-līlayā gṛhīta-cetā rājarṣe ākhyānaṁ yad adhītavān" "O saintly King, I was certainly situated perfectly in transcendence, yet I was still attracted by the delineation of the pastimes of the Lord, who is described by enlightened verses.", "tad ahaṁ te ’bhidhāsyāmi mahā-pauruṣiko bhavān" "That very Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam I shall recite before you because you are the most sincere devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa." And it is a very well, known fact that a mechanical speaker never relates to the subject matter being spoken however we see Śrī Śuka experienced ecstatic epilepsy many times ! as in the 10th canto "itthaṁ sma pṛṣṭaḥ sa tu bādarāyaṇis tat-smāritānanta-hṛtākhilendriyaḥ kṛcchrāt punar labdha-bahir-dṛśiḥ śanaiḥ pratyāha taṁ bhāgavatottamottama" "O Śaunaka, greatest of saints and devotees, when Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī in this way, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, immediately remembering subject matters about Kṛṣṇa within the core of his heart, externally lost contact with the actions of his senses. Thereafter, with great difficulty, he revived his external sensory perception and began to speak to Mahārāja Parīkṣit about kṛṣṇa-kathā.", both Śrīla Jīva gosvāmin and Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmin, have noted the word "punar" they say "punar ity anena pūrvam api vāraṃ vāram īdṛśo jātoʼstīti bodhyate" '"By saying 'again' (punar), it is understood that such a ecstatic trance has raised in this manner repeatedly, time and again, even before'. 

The Mechanist even say that Śrī Śuka is not the authority on Śrīmad Bhāgavata also they say Śrī Śuka may or may not possess a permanent place in Śrī Śrī Rādhā Kṛṣṇa's līlā. Both of these claims are very offensive, Śrī Śuka is indeed an authority on Bhāgavata as in the Tattva sandarbha —

ayaṃ bhāvaḥ brahma-vaivartānusāreṇa pūrvaṃ tāvad ayaṃ garbham ārabhya śrī-kṛṣṇasya svaritayā māyā-nivārakatvaṃ jñātavān | tatra śrī-vyeda-vyāsas tu taṃ vaśīkartuṃ tad-ananya-sādhanaṃ śrī-bhāgavatam eva jñātvā, tad- guṇātiśaya-prakāśamayāṃs tadīya-padya-viśeṣān kathañcc chrāvayitvā tena tam ākṣipta-matiṃ kṛtvā, tad eva pūrṇaṃ tam adhyāpayāmāseti śrī- bhāgavata-mahimātiśayaḥ proktaḥ | tad evaṃ darśitaṃ vaktuḥ śrī-śukasya vedavyāsasya ca samāna-hṛdayam | tasmād vaktur hṛdayānurūpam eva sarvatra tātparyaṃ paryālocanīyaṃ nānyathā | yad yat tad anyathā paryālocanaṃ, tatra tatra kupatha-gāmitaiveti niṣṭaṅkitam ||

The meaning is this. According to Brahma-vaivarta Purāna, previously, starting from his stay in the womb of his mother, Śukadeva was aware that Krsna personally could ward off māyā. Vyāsadeva brought Krsna and Krsna showed himself to Śukadeva in the womb. Since māyā was thus removed, thinking himself successful, Sukadeva came out of the womb and left the house. In order to control him, Vyāsa taught him Bhāgavatam, which produces nothing except attraction to Krsna. Making him hear particular verses which revealed Krsna's great qualities, Vyāsa agitated his mind. Then he made him study the full Bhāgavatam. This shows the greatness of Bhāgavatam. It has been shown that the speaker Śukadeva and VedavyāsaFrom the above we can see that the speaker (Śukadeva Gosvami) and śrīla Vyāsadeva had the same realizations. And therefore we should always study the message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the light of Śukadeva's realizations, not otherwise. By implication, we should consider any other explanations merely speculative and thus deviant from the correct understanding. The verse under discussion (Bhag. 1.7.1 1 ) was spoken by Sri Sūta Gosvāmī.

Thus we have to accept the paramount Authority of Śrī Śuka on the subject matter of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam because he was taught the Bhāgavata himself by Śrī Vyāsa "हरेर्गुणाक्षिप्तमतिर्भगवान् बादरायणि: । अध्यगान्महदाख्यानं नित्यं विष्णुजनप्रिय: ॥", as we know he is a Siddha so there is no confusion that he is there in the Nityalīlā. Also we have previously established how Śrī Śuka was liberated even before he spoke the Bhāgavatam to Śrī Parikṣita, thus there remains no ground of such offensive claim. Also one can't say that Śrī Śuka is not the authority of the Bhāgavata line coming from Śrī Śaṅkarṣana (mentioned in the third canto), as we know from Śrī Jīva gosvāmī in paramātma sandarbha "saṅkarṣaṇa- sampradāya-pravṛttis tu kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana-kartṛka-prakāśanāntargataiveti pṛthaṅ nocyate |" "The teachings of the Saṅkarṣaṇa tradition are not considered separate; they are included within the illumination stemming from Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyasa)." This is proven by the fact that Śrī Parāśara and Śrī Maitreya both who belonged to the Saṅkarṣaṇa tradition as said "sāṅkhyāyanaḥ pāramahaṁsya-mukhyo vivakṣamāṇo bhagavad-vibhūtīḥ jagāda so ’smad-gurave ’nvitāya parāśarāyātha bṛhaspateś ca" "The great sage Sāṅkhyāyana was the chief amongst the transcendentalists, and when he was describing the glories of the Lord in terms of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it so happened that my [Śrī Maitreya's] spiritual master, Parāśara, and Bṛhaspati both heard him." And we find that both of them Śrī Maitreya and his guru Śrī Parāśara came to hear the Bhāgavatam discourse of Śrī Śuka as said "atrir vasiṣṭhaś cyavanaḥ śaradvān ariṣṭanemir bhṛgur aṅgirāś ca parāśaro gādhi-suto ’tha rāma utathya indrapramadedhmavāhau medhātithir devala ārṣṭiṣeṇo bhāradvājo gautamaḥ pippalādaḥ maitreya aurvaḥ kavaṣaḥ kumbhayonir dvaipāyano bhagavān nāradaś ca" "From different parts of the universe there arrived great sages like Atri, Cyavana, Śaradvān, Ariṣṭanemi, Bhṛgu, Vasiṣṭha, Parāśara, Viśvāmitra, Aṅgirā, Paraśurāma, Utathya, Indrapramada, Idhmavāhu, Medhātithi, Devala, Ārṣṭiṣeṇa, Bhāradvāja, Gautama, Pippalāda, Maitreya, Aurva, Kavaṣa, Kumbhayoni, Dvaipāyana and the great personality Nārada." Thus we understand that even they accepted Śrī Śuka's authority as the speaker of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. 

Also some quote Caitanya Bhāgavata to show that Mahāprabhu became angry when Śrīvāsa ṭhākura compared Śrī Advaita with Śrī Śukadeva, this is again a misquotation we know it very well from svarūpa prabhu's kaḍcā that Śrī Advaita is Mahāviṣṇu obviously there is no comparison between him and Śrī Śukadeva because Mahāviṣṇu is īśvara while Śrī śuka is Jīva.

The conclusion is Śrī Śuka is not the parrot of Śrīmati Rādhīkā, However he is the paramount authority of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam for us !

yogīndrāya namas tasmai śukāya brahma-rūpiṇe
saṁsāra-sarpa-daṣṭaṁ yo viṣṇu-rātam amūmucat

I offer my humble obeisances to Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the best of mystic sages and a personal manifestation of the Absolute Truth. He saved Mahārāja Parīkṣit, who was bitten by the snake of material existence.