Sharma is one of the most common Brahmin surnames among Hindus in India, Nepal and other countries. A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma) also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, is considered to be the Priest class (varna) in the ancient universal Varna System and a caste found all over the world, especially India and Nepal in Indian caste system... This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ...

Meaning of the Surname

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. The Sanskrit language ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Demographic Distribution

Sharma is a common surname of the Brahmin community in northern India. Most population would be found in region of western Uttar Pradesh, Parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Hariyana, Delhi. A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma) also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, is considered to be the Priest class (varna) in the ancient universal Varna System and a caste found all over the world, especially India and Nepal in Indian caste system... , Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: , Urdu: , translation: Northern Province, IPA: ,  ), [often referred to as U.P.], is the most populous and fifth largest state in the Republic of India. ... , Rājasthān (DevanāgarÄ«: राजस्थान, IPA: )   is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. ... , This article is about the Indian state of Punjab. ... Haryana   (HindÄ«: हरियाणा, PunjabÄ«: ਹਰਿਆਣਾ, IPA: ) is a state in north India. ... , Delhi (Hindi: , Punjabi: , Urdu: ) sometimes referred to as Dilli, is the second-largest metropolis in India after Mumbai with a population of 13 million. ...

Sarma is a common surname of the Brahmin community in Assam,Bangladesh. Another variation in the way the surname is spelled in Assam is Sarmah, while a few assamese tend to spell it as Sharma, consistent with the way the surname is spelled in most parts of India. A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma) also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, is considered to be the Priest class (varna) in the ancient universal Varna System and a caste found all over the world, especially India and Nepal in Indian caste system... Assam   (Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a north eastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a part of Guwahati. ...

Many Sarmas particularly from the south originate from Southern Iyer community of Tamil 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. Iyers (Tamil : ஐயர்) are a section of Tamil Brahmins (a priestly Hindu caste from India) who mostly profess the advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara. ... Languages Tamil Religions Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism Related ethnic groups Dravidian people Brahui people Kannadigas Malayalis Tamils Telugus Tuluvas Gonds The Tamil people are a multi-ethnic group from the Indian subcontinent with a recorded history going back more than two millennia. ... Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ... // Introduction The term Smartha refers to those who accept and profess the Advaitha or non-dualistic philosophy propounded by Sri Adi Shankaracharya. ... Adi Shankara (Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍, DevanāgarÄ«: , , IPA: ); c. ... , Karnātakā   (Kannada: ಕನಾ೯ಟಕ) (IPA: ) is one of the four southern states of India. ... , Andhra Pradesh (Telugu: , Urdu: ), the Rice Bowl of India, is a state in southern India. ... South India is a linguistic-cultural region of India that comprises the four states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the two Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry, whose inhabitants are collectively referred to as South Indians. ...

Theories of Origin

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. Manu may refer to: In geography: Manu, a town in Sokoto State, Nigeria Manu, province in the Madre de Dios region of Peru Manu National Park Manu River In acting: Manu, member of the cast of a controversial film released in 2000 called Baise-moi Manu Intiraymi, American television and... Hindu mythology is a term used by modern scholarship for a large body of Indian literature that details the lives and times of legendary personalities, deities and divine incarnations on earth interspersed with often large sections of philosophical and ethical discourse. ... The Manu Smriti or Laws of Manu, is one of the eighteen Smritis of the Dharma Sastra (or laws of righteous conduct), written c. ... Hindu law is a general term for the legal system—including philosophy of law and legal procedure—which existed in traditional India and was therefore coterminous with the institutions of the Hindu religion as they related to law in society. ... The Manu Smriti or Laws of Manu, is one of the eighteen Smritis of the Dharma Sastra (or laws of righteous conduct), written c. ... A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma) also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, is considered to be the Priest class (varna) in the ancient universal Varna System and a caste found all over the world, especially India and Nepal in Indian caste system... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

All brahmins across India have original surname as Sharma. Later based on the demographical conditions adopt different surnames.

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 Deghichi, 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." It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Parashurama and Bhargava Rama (Discuss) Parshuram was the brahmin who destroyed many Kshatriyas. ... An Ashram (Pronounced aashram) in ancient India was a Hindu hermitage where sages (See Rishi) lived in peace and tranquility amidst nature. ... In Hinduism, Saraswati (Sanskrit ) is one of the goddesses, the other two being Lakshmi and Durga, that form the female counterpart of the Trimurti. ...

From Shakuntala

According to another school of thought, the surname Sharma finds its origin in the commentary of Shakuntala by Kalidasa. The Recognition of Sakuntala is a play in Sanskrit written by Kalidasa. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Sub-castes

The Brahmins have many sub-castes. This means that not all Sharmas will have the same sub-caste (or clan). Plausibly, two Sharma could be brahmins of different clan. Sharma is a common name that many brahmin use. A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma) also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, is considered to be the Priest class (varna) in the ancient universal Varna System and a caste found all over the world, especially India and Nepal in Indian caste system...

Some examples of notable Sharmas

• General V.N. Sharma - Indian Chief of Army Staff and Param Vishisht Seva Medal Awardee
• Manoj Sharma - Physician health educator
• B.G. Sharma - painter of traditional miniatures
• Major Somnath Sharma - The first Param Vir Chakra Awardee
• Wing Commander (retd) Rakesh Sharma - Indian Astronaut and first Indian in Space
• Pandit Shivkumar Sharma - Santoor player
• Pandit Jadunandan Sharma - Nationalist and peasant leader.
• Pandit Karyanand Sharma - Nationalist and peasant leader.
• Shankar Dayal Sharma - Former President of India
• Smita Sharma - World Record For Most HotDogs eaten
• Brij Sharma - Founder and CEO of Tela Sourcing
• Robin Sharma - World Renound Author/Keynote Speaker