Baba states that bhajan and worship are meaningless without Brahman-knowledge. Does this imply that devotion is unimportant?

While it's true that bhajan and worship are ultimately meaningless without the goal of Brahman-knowledge, Chapter 50 clarifies that this does not diminish the importance of devotion. In fact, devotion is presented as an indispensable prerequisite for attaining that very knowledge. The text states that the mind is soiled by ignorance, and it "cannot happen without devotion to God." Devotion is the essential first step and the "proof" for the destruction of bondage. The analogy used is that of a special collyrium (Anjan) which, when applied, reveals hidden things; similarly, when devotion is resorted to, ignorance is removed and knowledge dawns.