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Ritualism and deity worship seems to be in contradiction with the non-dualistic view of reality. However groups like Ramakrishna Mission that follow Advaita Vedanta engage in elaborate ritualistic Durga, Kali worship.

Who cares
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  • Rāmakr̥ṣṇa mission and its followers don't follow the orthodox Śaṅkara advaita. Rāmakr̥ṣṇa Paramahans considered divine to be both with form and without form as is mentioned clearly in Kathāmr̥ta. The Advaita Vedānta preached by Vivekānanda also isn't exactly the same as that propounded by Śaṅkara, but follows his master, alongwith mixing elements from yoga, tantra etc. Due to elements from tantra and Rāmakr̥ṣṇa being devī's devotee, his followers also follow that. So, it's not Śaṅkara's advaita, better to be clear on that point. – Bingming Jan 12 '23 at 12:43
  • Rāmakr̥ṣṇa monks also study some other schools of Vedānta and not just Advaita. Also, Advaita is not incompatible with bhakti, although Śaṅkara was clear that bhakti can't provide mokṣa, but Madhusūdana Sarasvatī, as Advaitin, reconciled the notions of bhakti with Advaita. However, his idea of bhakti was for Viṣṇu as Brahman, leaning towards the Vaiṣṇava sects. This is of course an evolution or a phase of Advaitic thought – Bingming Jan 12 '23 at 12:44
  • @Bingming Thank you this was very insightful. Are there modern practitioners of Non-Dualism without aspects of bhakti in the Hindu tradition? Does that question even make sense? – Who cares Jan 12 '23 at 12:55
  • Of course there are some . Also, Śaṅkara doesn't reject bhakti, he only says that it can't give mokṣa, jñāna is considered to be superior to bhakti. – Bingming Jan 12 '23 at 12:56
  • @Bingming Thank you! – Who cares Jan 12 '23 at 13:02
  • Why only single out Ramakrishna Mutt? All Shankara Mutts also do ritualistic idol worship. Adi Shankara himself was a Sri Vidya initiate and he has installed Sri Yantra which is nothing else but object worship @Whocares – Rickross Jan 13 '23 at 06:54
  • @Rickross Thank you for bringing it up. This was due to my lack of familiarity and no intention of singling them out. However my question remains that it seems to be inconsistent with non-dualism. – Who cares Jan 13 '23 at 08:00
  • Read some of Adi Shankara's poetry and also his 'Nirguna Manasa Puja' and 'Advaita-Parkarana-Manjari'. When you can stop thinking of yourself as a body, then you will not need any ritualistic worship. Until then ritualistic worship will help you worship the Lord. You still think of yourself as part of the creation. – Swami Vishwananda Jan 16 '23 at 10:48

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