Within the Smarta tradition, meditation and jñāna are regarded as central because they directly serve the realization of non‑dual Brahman that underlies all divine forms. Ritual worship of multiple deities is fully honored, yet it is understood as a preparatory and supportive discipline that purifies the mind and orients it toward truth. As understanding matures, the practitioner comes to see that all deities—however diverse in name and form—are manifestations of the one consciousness, Brahman. In this light, worshipper, deity, and the act of worship are ultimately recognized as non‑separate. Jñāna, especially self‑knowledge that dispels ignorance (avidyā), is thus treated as the decisive factor in liberation (mokṣa), while other practices are valued as its indispensable supports.

Meditation (dhyāna) in this context functions as the primary inner discipline that allows the non‑dual teaching to become a living reality rather than a mere concept. By quieting and focusing the mind, meditation makes it subtle enough to grasp and abide in the truth revealed by scriptural study and reflection. It serves as a bridge between devotional worship and philosophical insight, enabling the practitioner to move from external ritual to direct spiritual realization. Through such contemplation, the unity behind the apparent multiplicity of deities is more clearly intuited, and attachment to any single form gives way to recognition of the one reality expressed through all forms.

Jñāna itself is not limited to intellectual understanding, but includes both scriptural knowledge—especially as articulated in Advaita Vedānta—and its deep assimilation through reflection and contemplation. Study of authoritative texts, together with sustained inquiry into the nature of the self, provides the conceptual clarity that all forms are expressions of one Brahman. Meditation then internalizes this insight, so that the non‑dual vision gradually permeates perception and conduct. In this integrated way, Smartism harmonizes rich, multi‑form devotional practice with a rigorous non‑dual philosophy, allowing devotion and knowledge to converge in the realization of a single, all‑pervading consciousness.