So Janaka said, "I want you to know, this is me. Just to see that the oil doesn't spill, you needed so much attention. Keeping my connection with the divine, it needs even more attention, but still, look at me, I am still involved with everything around me.
King Janak declined to grant initiation to Shukadev and added, "Now I see that you can concentrate in the meditation but you require humbleness to be initiated. You will have to wait for initiation. For now you go back to your father Ved Vyasa."
Shukadev returned to his father Ved Vyasa and said, "Father, He won't give me initiation."
In response, Ved Vyasa told him, "My son, there is no alternative, as He is the only perfect Saint, and you must receive initiation from Him."
He then advised Shukadev, "Because you were criticising and having negative thoughts about King Janak, now you must repent for that, and you need to be humble."
And Shukadev learned that lesson. He again went to King Janak.
So King Janaka asked his guards, "Where is he standing?"
He was standing in a place where normally out of the palace they throw all the garbage. It goes and falls in a pit – he was standing in that place.
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King Janaka said, "Tell him to stand right there." He stood there.
As evening came, the day's garbage, they started throwing it out. A heap of garbage covered him, but he just stood there.
Then king Janaka asked, "What's happening?"
They said, "He's standing right there."
It is said that he waited for twelve years in the garbage dump outside King Janak's palace. He stood there, and allowed that garbage to fall on his head and in that way he developed humility.
He said, "Ask him to wash up, give him some fresh clothes, and bring him here."
So, that was done, and then he went in front of Janaka.
Finally after twelve years he got an initiation from King Janaka!
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Stories also tell of how Shuka surpassed his father in spiritual achievement. Once, while following his son, Vyasa came across a group of celestial nymphs (Apsaras) bathing. Shuka's purity was so remarkable that the nymphs (Apsaras) didn't find him distracting, even though he was naked. In contrast, they covered themselves when faced with his father.
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Shuka is occasionally depicted wandering naked, showcasing his complete lack of self-consciousness.
Shuka shone brightly, as radiant as a thousand suns. His presence was gentle, loving, and divine. When the time came, King Parikshit asked him to tell the Srimad Bhagavatam in his assembly. After praying to Mahadeva, Shuka began his narration. However, whenever the story involved Radha, he couldn't say her name. Just thinking about Radha would put Shuka into a deep state of meditation. When he returned, he would continue the story without mentioning Radha. So, it is said that Radha is not mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Gurudev says that the word 'Radha' means returning to your source. It's not surprising that just thinking about Radha led Shuka into deep Meditation.
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Gurudev elaborates, stating, "'Dhara' means that which comes from the source, while 'Radha' means that which goes back to the source. To experience Lord Krishna, we must go to the source. Lord Krishna is the source, and Radha is the way or path to the source. Even if you are Rukmini or Satyabhama, until you become Radha, until you return to the source, you cannot attain Lord Krishna."
