I don't think "Knowledge" was all about devotion- it was a "direct experience of peace within"- however this experience was touted as the way to "recognise Maharaji". Once you'd "received knowledge" and started to "practice", you realised he was a greater incarnation of God than Krishna and Jesus and Buddha, and "Hey Presto", devotion followed.

And of course, as the Bhagavad Gita says, "Bhakti Yoga (devotion) is the highest form of yoga that exists. And as every premie knew, the only reason God bothered creating the Universe was so we could worship and serve Rawat in his earthly form and premies could watch crappy, inane videos, and fill out bankers order forms.