The text states 'without love, knowledge is dry.' Does this imply that intellectual pursuits and scriptural study are considered useless for a devotee?

The text does not dismiss knowledge as useless, but rather emphasizes that love is its essential foundation. Chapter 48 explains that 'Without love, knowledge is dry; what use is it to anyone?' and that 'if deep love is not in one's possession, then listening and reading are fruitless.' The passage uses a powerful metaphor to illustrate this relationship: the devotee's heart is a lamp, faith is its state, love is the oil, and only then can 'the flame of knowledge manifest.' This indicates that knowledge is the desired outcome—the light—but it cannot be sustained or even ignited without the essential fuel of love and faith.