Describe the author's personality before he became a devotee, as he explains it himself.

In Chapter 2, the author, who would later be named Hemadpant, provides a candid self-description of his former character. He admits to being mischievous, talkative, cynical, and critical. He states he was arrogant about his knowledge, possessing a bad intellect and a mind driven by logic and argumentation. He was always proud of his own wisdom and, by his own account, knew nothing of the greatness of a Satguru. This honest portrayal of his cynical and argumentative nature serves as a starting point for the story of his transformation and how he received his new name.