Could you describe the author's personality and mindset before he came to Shirdi and was given the name 'Hemadpant'?

The author, before his transformation and receiving the name 'Hemadpant', was characterized by a very skeptical and intellectual nature. Chapter 2 paints a picture of a man who was initially "mischievous, talkative, cynical, and critical." He was very proud of his own wisdom and had a logic-driven mind that was always prone to argumentation and debate. The text notes that he knew nothing of a Satguru's greatness and it was only through the strong insistence of friends like Kakasaheb Dixit that this staunch debater, guided by a past-life connection, even agreed to make the journey to Shirdi.