Vyāsadeva maintained the daughter of Jabali as his wife, and after they performed penances together for many years, he placed his seed in her womb. The child remained in the womb of his mother for twelve years, and when the father asked the son to come out, the son replied that he would not come out unless he were completely liberated from the influence of māyā, or illusion. Vyāsadeva then assured the child that he would not be influenced by māyā, but the child did not believe his father, for the father was still attached to his wife and children.
Vyāsadeva then went to Dvārakā and informed Lord Kṛṣṇa about his problem, and Kṛṣṇa, at Vyāsadeva's request, went to Vyāsadeva's cottage, where He assured the child in the womb that he would not be influenced by māyā. Thus assured, the child came out, but he immediately went away as a parivrājakācārya, one who constantly travels around the world preaching the glories of the Lord.
When the father, very much aggrieved, began to follow his saintly boy, Śukadeva Gosvāmī created a duplicate Śukadeva, who later entered family life.