Pandit Shri M.S.Mantreshwar Sharma

“OM Sree Gurubhyo Namaha”.
At the outset I start with pranams to Jagadguru His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Theertha Mahaswamigal, the ruling and 36th Pontiff of Sri Sringeri Saradha Peetham


Jagadguru H.H.Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamigal

I wish the readers a very happy prosperous, healthy and peaceful New Year 2009. In this edition, I’ve compiled on an exemplary personality Shri Madurai Sundaresan Mantresha Sharma (M.S.M.Sharma).

I’ve compiled a family tree of Shri Madurai Sundaresan Iyer and request readers to look into the family tree as well, which is published in the end of this section

I was reading a book “The Greatness of Sringeri” ( A publication of Sarada Peetham, Sringeri). I saw a caption attributed to M.S.M.Sharma. Whenever, we have visited Sringeri to have the blessings of Sri Sharada Ambal and His Holiness, I have heard this name mentioned frequently by Shri Ganapathi Subramaniya avathanigal . (While waiting for darshan of his Holiness, we used to meet up with Ganapathy Subramaniya avadhanigal and on two occasions he was the priest who conducted the pada puja)

My wife Sudha informed me M.S.M Sharma is related to her Maternal Grandfather Advocate R.Krishanswamy Iyer and Paternal Grandmother smt Muthu Meenkashi . Sudha is the Great grand nephew of MSM Sharma and is related to M.S.M Sharma both on the paternal and maternal side, and I was naturally inclined to find out more on the subject

I also acknowledge the family details of M.S.M.Sharma provided by his daughter smt Sowbaghya lakshmi – currently living in Bangalore, and searches on web

M.S. Mantresha Sharma. (1897 to 1960)

M.S.M. Sharma was born in Madurai . His father was Madurai Sundaresan Iyer and mother was commonly referred as Ammalu amma. It is interesting to note, M.S.M Sharma is a younger cousin to Bhawan Sri Ramana Maharishi. M.S.M.Sharma’s mother Ammaluamma was a younger sister to Ramana Maharishi’s mother. ( The above relation is heard though M.S.M Sharma daughter and not verified through other sources).

M.S.M.Sharma was an atheist in his early life and the below interesting event was narrated by him and captured in the book “The Greatness of Sringeri” under the caption “Atheist Converted”. Jagadguru His Holiness Sri Sri Chandarsekera Bharathi swamigal (the 34th Pontiff of Sringeri Sharada Peetam) was on a tour of South India. M.S.M Sharma accompanied his friend who went to meet the Jagadguru and take His Holiness blessings. This incident should have happened on the late 1920’s and is reproduced below.

Note: On the insistence of Mysore Maharaja Jagadguru Shri Chandrasekara Bharathi acharyal has under taken a tour South India in 1924 visiting Mysore and other places in South India over a period of 4 years)


Jagadguru H.H.Sri Chandrasekara Tirtha Mahaswamigal

Quote

“I had no faith in sannyasis. Yet on a friend’s persuasion, I agreed to accompany him from my holiday camp in Madura to a nearby village where he was going to see the saint of Sringeri. I put on the best of my European attire and went with him. I was a non-believer.

Then the miracle happened. As Sri Chandrasekara Bharathi was about to enter a room, our eyes met. His look was sufficient. In less than a moment I forget myself, my pride, and my vanity. Tears trickled down my eyes. Without any prompting I found myself at his lotus feet – not once but several times, sobbing all the while.

That is the story of my conversion to religion from atheism. By the power of His (Sri Chandrasekara Bharathi ) eyes he made a slave of me. HIS silence is clearly more powerful a language than any spoken word
Unquote

M.S.M Sharma, belonged to an affluent family and was well educated. He went to hold very key positions latter in his life. He was well versed in Sanskrit and was referred as Pandit M.S.M. Sharma as well.

M.S.M. Sharma friends circle included very influential personalities like Mohammed Ali Jinnah – Governor General and the founder of Pakistan state, Dr C.P. Ramaswami Iyer the Dewan of Travancore state, Sri Chandrasekara Iyer – ex-Judge Supreme court, Sir Mirza Ismail the Dewan of Mysore


Shri M.S.M.Sharma and Smt Rajalakshmi


M.S.M Sharma lived in Patna and then moved over to Karachi. He worked as chief editor in "Daily Gazette" Karachi. It was owned up to about 1934 by an English family believed to be or connected to the Montagu-Webbs. The Daily Gazette, published from Karachi, later became The Sind Gazette.


Daily Gazette paper with Lord Wellington on front page

During partition, M.S.M Sharma was in Karachi, and was asked to stay in Pakistan by its founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah. ( it is said Jinnah has given instructions that he should move back to India after his death). The house where M.S.M.Sharma lived in Karachi was fully guarded during the violence surrounding partition days. After the death of Jinnah within few hours , M.S.M.Sharma vacated his house in Karachi . M.S.M.Sharma’s family was given full police protection from his house to Karachi airport. The family took just a few suitcases and boarded the flight to India from Karachi airport. It is reported this house was fully ransacked after the departure of M.S.M.Sharma

M.S.M.Sharma wrote a book called “Peeps into Pakistan” - Published by Pustak Bhandar, 1954. The book deals with the religion and history of Pakistan. This book gets extensively quoted as part of many debates in chats and blogs in the internet.The foreword for the book was written by Dr C.P.Ramaswamy Iyer and introduction by Chandrasekar Iyer – Ex-Judge of Supreme court.. It is interesting note that this is a widely referenced book by many authors. Some key ones to note are:.

1. “Eight lives : A study of the Hindu Muslim encounter” by Rajmohan Gandhi.
2. Major Governments of Asia - By George McTurnan Kahin, Harold C. Hinton
3. Muslims in India : A Biographical Dictionary by Naresh Kumar Jain

M.S.M Sharma moved to Patna and joined as chief editor in the "Search light" paper owned by Birla group. He was very active with the affairs of the Sringeri mutt and was a frequent visitor to Sringeri Mutt.

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Comments by Somasekar
The first case law on privilege of legislature arose because M.S.M Sharma reported remarks expunged by the Speaker of the Bihar Legislature in the Searchlight paper. The case is titled MSM Sharma vs. Shri Krishna Sinha. Will send you a soft copy.

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M.S.M Sharma played a pivotal role in the services of Sringeri Math. Some of the events and details are well chronicled in a book titled “ The Crest Jewel of Yogis - A biography and advices of the peerless preceptor His Holiness Abhinava Vidya Theertha Mahaswamigal – First Volume" - compiled by Sri R.M. Umesh and Published by Sri Sharada Trust. The details can be found in the chapter “Epitome of Tolerance”

The section “Epitome of tolerance” narrates the steps taken by the staunch disciples of the Mutt to maintain the Independence and authority of the Head of the Math in the matters of administration. For readers benefit, I summarize the contents as below
 There were people with vested interests who wanted the math administration to be taken over by the Government. Lot of false propaganda were spread with malicious intent.
 M.S.M. Sharma was instrumental in sorting out the issues with the government. He along with key delegates personally met and clarified certain key points to Mr K V Anantharaman – The Revenue and Endowments minister of Mysore state. The meeting took place on 10-07-1944.
 On 11-07-1944, the M.S.M Sharma went to Sringeri and appraised His Holiness Chandrasekara Bharathi Swamigal and His Holiness Abhinava Vidhya Theertha Swamigal on his discussions with the minister.
 M.S.M Sharma wrote a epistle to the minister appraising him on his discussions with the Acharaya’s and left for Karachi.
 After few days, Shri R.Krishnaswami Iyer ( Nephew of M.S.M Sharma) had met the Minister K.V. Anantaraman, in Madurai. The minister has indicated that the Government will not act on the false propaganda and it is fully aware of the strong protests from the South. He has also indicated that he has put a note in the file for future reference.

Note: Madurai Advocate R.Krishnaswamy Iyer [M.S.M Nephew] has maintained a full written account of the events of 1944. This has been handed over to the author R.M Umesh who has acknowledged the same in his book. The written notes have been verified by Dharmatma Dr V.Vaidyasubramanya Iyer.

I was moved by the below reference to M.S.M.Sharma in the book and reproducing the same in the words of R.M.Umesh

Quote

On August 24th 1954, when Pandit M.S.M Sharma took leave of Paramacharyal (H.H.Shri Chandresekara Bharathi acharayal) within an hour of the President’s departure, he broke into tears because it was no easy job for him to be separated from his Guru. Paramacharyal asked him to sit down and said, “Why do you Grieve? If before you pay your next visit here, I get released from my mortal coil, I shall be with you,as soon as you think of me”. He thought that Paramacharyal was merely trying to teach him that death was an illusion. It never struck him that the Jagadguru was really preparing his deveotees for His "shedding his motal coils".

Unquote

Paramacharyal H.H.Shri Chandresekara Bharathi acharayal attained Jeevanamukthi (shed his motal coils voluntarily) on 26th September 1954.

M.S.M.Sharma requested Jagadguru H.H.Sri Chandrasekara Bharathi for performing daily pujas to his “Padukas” (wooden sandals of Acharya) and the benevolent archarya obliged very kindly to his request. . He performed regular puja's for the Padukas till his death. Currently the Paduka is with Shri Narasimhan - the grandson of M.S.M.Sharma living in Bombay.

M.S.M Sharma was very close Dr Bapu Rajendra Prasad, 1st president of Independent India and accompanied the 1st President on his maiden visit to Sringeri (24th August 1954). The compilations were written under the title “Pilgrimage to Sringeri” and were published in news papers. M.S.M Sharma compilations on the topic “Pilgrimage to Sringeri” were collected as paper clippings by his Nephew Madurai Advocate R. Krishnaswami Iyer.
Note: I was cleaning up the archives of R.Krishnaswami Iyer (My wife Sudha’s maternal Grandfather) ,got this file and handed over to M.S.M Sharma’s daughter Lakshmi.

Some of the letters of M.S.M.Sharma correspondence with the President Dr Rajendra Prasad can be found in the book
Dr Rajendra Prasad: Correspondence and Select Documents : Presidency Period, January 1954 to December 1955 By Valmiki Choudhary Published by Allied Publishers, 1992

Jagadguru Sree Sree Sree Chandrasekara Bharathi Swamigal in the latter years completely handed over the affairs of the Mutt to his Junior pontiff  Sri Sri Sri  Abhinava Vidya theertha Swamigal and spent most of his time in solitary penance and pooja. Even getting a darshan of the senior Pontiff used to be rare as Swamigal never used to come out of his room. It is said that, Swamigal will enter into an trance for days together without food or water. In couple of instances, Shri M.S.M Sharma was immediately asked to rush to Sringeri from Bihar. M.S.M Sharma will be in Sringeri for few days and leave back. As a completely devoted Sishya, (pupil) he had  access to his Guru's chambers, such was his devotion to his Guru. It is not known with authority, what was his role or the details of his private conversations with the Jagadguru. Within the family, he was very close with his Nephew Advocate R Krishnaswamy Iyer, (http://snp-roots.blogspot.in/2009/06/madurai-advocate-rkrishnaswamy-iyer.html ) and had shared lot of details related to the Sringeri Mutt and his interactions with the Jagadguru. Much details about them are not known in accurate details.  (In matters of faith, I do not want to speculate) 

Pandit Sharma had worked tirelessly for the upliftment of Bihar. Our scriptures teach us that we carry our vasanas (poorva janma bandam or aspects) in our subsequent births.  In 1922 when he visited Bihar for the 1st time, his first remark to his wife smt Nagalakshmi was 'I had lived in this place and this place is very familiar to me' . Post partition he came back to India and chose to stay in the same place, and took up an assignment in Search light news paper

Pandit sharma got  'Guru upadesha' from Shri Chandrasekara Bharathi swamigal. His pooja consisted of Goddess Sharadha ambal, Image of his Guru Shri Chandrasekara Baharthi swamigal, Sree Chakra, His Guru's Padukas ( sandals), Idols of Lord Ganesh and Lord Shiva and associated silver articles for the performance of daily pooja. He used to keep his pooja items in a wooden casket and used to perform daily pooja without fail. With clockwork precision he used to visit Sringeri once in 6 months and prostrate at his Guru's samadhi in Narashimavanam in Sringeri. His devotion to Shri Abhinava Vidya theertha swamigal was total and submitted himself to the services of his Guru and the Sringeri mutt. He used to guide his nephew Shri Advocate R. Krishnaswamy Iyer on dealing with the affairs of the mutt. 

He believed in the precept of 'Vasudevia Kudumbakam' ( the world is one family) and used to help people in difficulties with a pure heart. He would suggest them to make a silver dollar with 'Sri Chakra' symbol, would keep the medallion in the pooja casket and perform pooja for 45 days and hand it over back to them. Numerous are the instances in which people have reverted and informed that their difficulties have vanished and profusely thanked Mr Sharma. Since Shri M.S.M Sharma used to take his Pooja casket without fail to all the overnight places he visited, he used to get invited to perform pooja in well wishers and asthika's houses and used to oblige those requests with a warm heart. 

In the winter of 1960 he travelled to Delhi. He had met Lal Bhadhur Shastri ( then Home Minister) and had obtained government advertisement orders for the Searchlight news paper and had met the President of India, Dr Babu Rajendra Prasad. The president had sent 2-3 basket full of flowers from the 'Moghul Gardens' as a goodwill gesture. Mr Sharma has remarked to the President, the flowers will be used for tomorrows pooja. On 27th Nov'1960, while travelling back to Patna, he suffered a massive heart attack in the train and passed away immediately. Efforts by the railway staff to revive him proved futile. Meditating with thoughts on the lotus feet of his Guru Sree Sree Sree Chandrasekara Bharathi swamigal, he attained heavenly abode.  

The mortal remains were de-trained in Faridabad station. President Dr Rajendra Prasad was informed immediately and was shocked at the loss of his dear friend and a veteran statesman. President sent his emissary with the condolence message. He had also instructed officials in the Govt. to take care of the next steps.  Shri V.K.Krishna Menon organized for Mr M.S.M Sharma's son Shri M.Sundaresan to be flown in from Bombay immediately to Delhi. From the Govt of India, Shri Jagajivan Ram who was the railway minister and Shri Lal Bahdhur shastri (Home Minister) organized for the mortal remains to be taken to Patna and the cremation was done in Patna.

On his demise, the pooja Idols were handed over to Sringeri Math and the 'Padukas' (Sandals) given by Acharyal Sri Sri Chandrasekara Bharathi swamigal were retained by the family.

Late Sri Ganapthy avadhanigal,  a senior priest in Sringeri mutt always used to tell me, 'Swamigal had given his padukas to Mantresan Sharma'. 

M.S.M. Sharma died of heart attack and passed away on 27th November 1960. M.S.M Sharma was married to Rajalakshmi and they had 10 children

“FAMILY TREE”

M.S.M Sharma Married Rajalakshmi
(1897 to 1960)
 1st Daughter Meenakshi – Passed away in Childhood
 2nd Son M. Sundaresan married to Saraswathi (from Thanjavur)
– first son S.Narasimhan living in Bombay
- They have one daughter – (currently active in Bollywood movies)
– 2nd son Shivaji (a.k.a Chandramouli) living in Pune
- They have one Son and One Daughter
Note: M.Sundaresan was a reputed journalist and has traveled very widely, covering events across the Globe
 3rd Son Balasubramanian – Passed away in Childhood
 4th Daughter Balathirupura Sundari – Married to Chandramouli (from Uttrakosamangai village in Rameshwaram)
– Daughter Lalita
– Daughter Usha
– Son Guru raj
 5th Son – Chandramouli – Passed away in Childhood
 6th Son – Bala - Passed away in childhood
 7th Daughter Raja Mathangi married to Kalyana Raman (s/o R.Mahalinga Iyer of North Veli street from Madurai)
- 1st Daughter Bhooma
- Daughter Bhavana
- Son Bharat

- 2nd Son K. Chandrachoodan married to Malini
- Son Mrinal

 8th Daughter Sharada married to Thyagarajan (from Thirvaroor)
 9th Daughter Sowbaghya lakshmi married to Rajendran Iyer (s/o Panjabakesa Iyer of Kilkudi village in Thanjavur)
- Daughter Revati married P.Viswanathan (Ravi)
1st Son Vighnesh
2nd Daughter Devina
Note: Rajendra Iyer did his college in Indore University and worked as an officer in LIC and. He has played cricket ,under the captaincy of C.K.Naidu and a great admirer of C.K.Naidu, for enforcing discipline on the cricket ground. Being taught by British English professors, his pronunciation and command over the English knowledge is admirable. The family details of M.S.M.Sharma has been provided by Smt Sowbaghya lakshmi
 10th daughter Bhavani married to Raman
Note: Raman is the brother of the famous singer late Bangalore Ramani ammal