Ksksat(Krishna),
you are saying:
I assumed all these days that for Sri Ramana devotees or Sri Ramakrishna devotees, belief in existence of Shiva and Kailash is inherent
.
Please quote from the saying of Sri Ramakrishna or Sri Bhagavan that substantiates your belief.I have already given some excerpts from Sri Bhagavan on this.I have also given excerpts from Sri Ramakrishna on God with form and his formless aspect.
The Vedic Hymns cannot be taken literally and are deeply symbolic.A cursory look at Sri Aurobindo's 'The Secret of the Veda' will reveal this aspect.Ditto with TiruppAvai as well.My presentations here are from what the Great ones have said and not my 'views'.
As I have said,I am not here to parade my 'Learning' or to twist or misrepresent things.If you do not find anything useful,please ignore it.Go by what appeals to you and what inspires you.
In case you are interested in knowing the implications of that phrase from isAvasya upanishad,you may refer to Swami Krishnananda's writing here:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/upanishad/upan_04.html
Namaskar.
The Vedic Hymns cannot be taken literally and are deeply symbolic.
Sir this is basic flaw in the core of the understanding.
Heart and Heart we tend to say like 'kandadhe kaakshi kondadhe kolam' 'whatever seen is only truth, whatever having is only truth'?
And we want to interpret dialogues of mahatmas to achieve this end.
Is then everything from the devotion of Tukaram to Markendaya just poetic, symbolic?
When we have two hands, two legs , we have a form, why not God sir?
Shiva was there those days comign to take Havis in the yagas.
Nowadays we dont have that level of devotion I agree, so what? We can nicely interpret and nicely prove scientifically using Talks or Gospel to deny their existence of Shiva and Vishnu.
But it is not so.
Until we see the slightest duality, yes , we have a universe and a rule governing the universe.
LIke human beings, at different levels, devas exist.
Same Aurboindo Mother has seen Shiva whom she described as with the height until the ceiling.
She has seen Lord Ganesh and even painted one.
She has clearly told like for every spirit of nature like Rain, Fire etc. there lies a form behind the spirit.
We have Ashwini devas. Adityas etc.
Vibhuthi Yoga clearly says all this.
But if I go with atheistic mindset to only take all these symbolically, yes , our scriptures will allow our mind to get twisted.
I think this is the danger of reading advaita in one sense. For this same reason, Kanchi Mahaswami told many times that he hesitated to open that topic.
To deny God is Atheism straight forward.
This advaitic symbolism, poetic, representation, aid, concentration etc. is another form of atheism in disguise.
That is why we should not jump to Mandukya Upanishad or Ribhu Gita without setting the basics right.
Anyway sir, what has gone into your mind I cannot erase. It is your samskaras.
What lies in my mind you cannot erase, it is my samskaras.
I think the underlying current of love and reference to Maharishee binds us together.