Sharma

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Sharma (Sanskrit: शर्मा is one of the most common Brahmin surnames among Hindus in India, Nepal, Pakistan, among other countries. The name Sharma is written शर्मा in Sanskrit.^[1]

[edit] Meaning of the surname

Sharma - Hindu (Brahman) name from Sanskrit šarma ‘joy’, ‘shelter’. It is regarded as a prestigious name and as such has been adopted in recent times in various non-Brahman communities. ^[2][3]

The Sanskrit scholar Dr. Charan Das Shastri claims the name Sharma is derived from the Sanskrit 'Sharman' which means teacher. According to Sanskrit scholar Dr. Charan Das Shastri, the word 'Sharman' refers to a universal well-wisher or sublime personality who has achieved the highest state of concentration. According to scholars Pt. Raghunath Prashad Shastri and Yaskacharya the word Sharma refers to 'Srinatehimsayam-dhatu' — the sacred person who eradicates his own sins and those of mankind with acquired powers of self-consciousness.

[edit] Demographic distribution

Sharma is a common surname of the Brahmin community in northern India. Most population would be found in region of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Hariyana, Delhi.

Sharma is a common surname of the Brahmin community in Assam, Bangladesh. Other variations in the way the surname is spelled in Assam are Sarma (also used by some Brahmins of Andhra Pradesh and of Baranasi in Uttar Pradesh) and Sarmah, while a few Assamese tend to spell it as Sharma, consistent with the way the surname is spelled in most parts of India.

Many Sarmas particularly from the south originate from Southern Iyer community of Brahmins who follow the Smartha philosophy based on Sri Adi Shankara's teachings. Many Sarmas are also found in Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. In South India, many Brahmins have dropped their surnames as the surnames indicate their caste in favour of family names.

In Maharashtra, Goa and coastal Karnataka, the title Sharma was often added to the first names to denote a Brahmin heritage. Depending on the sub-occupation of the Brahmin Sharma, Shastri, Bhatt, Acharya and Pandit, during the Peshwa era however the vocation and native village based surnames took root. For example, a hypothetical name "Gopalsharma Bandekar Kashyap" indicates, Gopal a Brahmin derived from the Kashyap Gotra residing in the Banda village. In modern times the same person would simply be called "Gopal Madhav Bandekar" where Madhav indicates the first name of the person's father.

[edit] Theories of origin

[edit] From Manusmriti

Manu, in Hindu mythology is a title accorded the progenitor of humankind and first holy king to rule this earth, was the author of Manusmriti, regarded as a foundational work of Hindu law and ancient Indian society. Manusmriti suggests that the Brahmin should use 'Sharman' with their names and the Kshatriya, a warrior clan, should use 'Verman' as they wear 'Verm' or 'Kawach' (i.e., armour) with their name.

[edit] From Brahmksatryas

According to Bherumal Maherchand, a Sindhi historian, the Brahmksatrya clan came into existence during the time of the sage Parshuram, who is said to have stayed in Sindh for five days during a campaign he had undertaken to weed out anti-social elements from society. The ruler of the state was King Rattan Sen. When the news of Parshuram's arrival reached the king, he fled along with his queens to seek asylum in the ashram of Rishi Dadhichi, situated on the bank of the Saraswati river. Each queen bore a son there. They were called Brahmans by virtue of birth and were brought up in the ashram. The eldest son Jai Sen became Jaisen Sharma. This is considered by some to be first use of the surname ever recorded in history.

The legend continues that subsequently Parshuram killed the king who was hunting in the forest. In Bhavishya Purana, The surname Sharma is also found. As stated there, "O Indra, there was a brahmana named Shakrasharma, in Ayodhya. He worshipped demigods such as the Asvini Kumaras, Rudras, Vasus, and Surya with the mantras mentioned in the Yajur-veda.""In the age of Dvapara, there was a brahmana named Megha Sharma. He was very much religious, intelligent, learned and a follower of the Vedic path."

The most renowned subcaste in brahmins.

[edit] Sub-castes

The Brahmins have many sub-castes. Not all Sharmas will have the same sub-caste (or clan).

[edit] People with surname Sharma

• Shankar Dayal Sharma
• Dasharatha Sharma
• Shiv Kumar Sharma, a santoor player.
• Chris Sharma, a rock climber
• Ishant Sharma
• Rakesh Sharma,an astronaut

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Name Etymology
2. ^ Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
3. ^ sharma Name Meaning and Origin - Ancestry.com