Sri Mannathuram Sharma was born on the fourth day of the bright half of the month of Ashwin in the year 1914 (Vikram Samvat as per Gujarati calendar) at Mojidad in the Limibdi Taluka in Surendranagar district, Gujarat. A primary school teacher, Srimannathuram Sharma’s knowledge of Sanskrit and his love for Indian philosophy particularly the Shankara Vedanta, was marvelous. He established many ashramas in various villages and towns of Gujarat and Saurashtra (the then Kathiawar). He established Sanskrit schools in his ashrams for transmission of Vedic and Upanishadic knowledge to deserving students.
He was a prolific writer and a voracious reader in the field of Hindu philosophy. In the ashrams established by him, there is a good collection of books on philosophy for ready reference. His Anand Ashram at Bilkha (near Junagadh) is a place of meditation. People from all walks of life came to him and, after the deeksha (initiation) ceremony, they led others on the path of penance and purity. There was no distinction of gender, caste, or creed as there were Parsis, Khojas, and Kunbis (Patels) among his devoted disciples.
He left his mortal frame on the eleventh day of the dark half of the month of Ashwin in the year (Vikram Samvat) 1987.
He gave us the principal Upanishads with Tatparya Tika in Gujarati. He wrote on Brahma Sutras of Badarayana Vyasa with a commentary in Gujarati. His books on Srimad Bhagavad Gita and Samkhya and Yoga Darshan of Patanjali are examples on the applied side of Yoga but was not interested in experiments for public display. He was honored by the kings of native states, who helped him to establish ashramas.