How did Hemadpant's initial personality contrast with the destiny that led him to Sai Baba?

Hemadpant's initial personality was in stark contrast to the spiritual path he was destined to walk. Chapter 2 describes him as a man who was "mischievous, talkative, cynical, and critical," deeply "proud of his own wisdom," and prone to argumentation. He was a staunch debater with a logic-driven mind, far from the disposition of a humble devotee. However, the text emphasizes that "destiny was strong." Despite his cynical nature, he was connected to devotees like Kakasaheb Dixit and Nanasaheb Chandorkar through past-life ties. It was their influence, coupled with the irresistible pull of destiny, that ultimately brought him to Shirdi. As Chapter 2 illustrates, even when his logical mind found a powerful reason to abandon the trip—the death of his friend's son—destiny intervened through Nanasaheb to ensure the journey happened, proving that his fated connection to Sai Baba was stronger than his own intellectual pride and skepticism.