Knowledge is of two kinds – parā and aparā. The Vedas give aparā knowledge, because as a science, it talks of the knowledge of things; here knowledge illumines only limited objects, and this can give rise only to knowledge of the finitude – saṁsāra — and its endless experiences of attachments, hatreds etc. The Infinite-thought (akhaṇḍākāra vṛtti) rising as a result of the practice of Brahma Vidyā is called the parā knowledge. This awakes in us the experience of the infinite Reality and completely annihilates all the finite experiences of the world-of-objects (saṁsāra). Thus Vedānta Vidyā is the highest knowledge and the greatest science in every sense of the term – in its techniques, in its final goal, and in its own very nature. This is the chorus declared by all Rishis in the Vedānta text books.

That which is called as Parā Vidyā in Vedanta volumes is itself the condition of Parā Bhakti as discussed in books of devotion. Devotion is of two kinds – the path (sādhana rūpā) and the goal (phala rūpā). A close examination of and the consequent discrimination between the Lord and the devotee, between ‘That’ (tat) and ‘You’ (tvam) terms in the Mahāvākya generates a force of meditation which culminates in the experience of the Lord – the pure Brahman, the Absolute. Thereafter alone can the goal, the Parā Bhakti dawn in the bosom for experience. Thus the Parā Bhakti, pure devotion, which springs from the experience of the pure Self is in no way less than Brahma Vidyā. This explains why Sri Madhusudana Saraswati considered Parā Bhakti as the sixth stage (bhūmikā) in the 11-stage spiritual scheme of unfoldment discussed by him in his work ‘Bhagavad Bhakti Rasayanam’.

In this work, Madhusudana rightly uses the pregnant term svarūpādhigatistataḥ . The experience of the pure Brahman, the ever- pure (nirviśeṣa), the formless (nirākāra), the essence (svarūpa bhūta), as nothing other than the Self within is pure devotion – Parā Bhakti. This state is considered as one of the higher stages in the ladder of evolution towards the highest divine experience.

The seeker whose heart is rich in pure love — even if he be a person who has realised the Truth — comes to express his devotion to one of the many manifestations of the glory of the Self. He comes to court and feel his oneness with the divine in the forms of Siva, Vishnu, Rama or Krishna. This experience of perfection and the practice of Parā Bhakti makes him the best teacher of the world (Jagadguru) and he gets the gratitude of seekers in all generations. His is the true glory; he alone is the true teacher, the prophet.

The experiences of a student of Brahma Vidyā are also the experiences of a Parā Bhakta. The sacred Parā Bhakti is nothing other than the Parā Vidyā.

The infinite Saccidānanda Brahman to be ultimately realised through the science of Vedanta is both without form (nirākāra) and also with form (sākāra). The whole universe of names and forms is the glory of the Supreme only. Thus devotion to this divine form is advised and it should be practised. This is not an opinion; it is declared in the very Upanishads by the Rishis themselves.