How did Sai Baba's views on argumentation contrast with the author's initial disposition?

There was a stark contrast between Sai Baba's teachings on argumentation and the author's original nature. In Chapter 2, Sai Baba explicitly warns against a dualistic mindset, stating, "Where there is a mind for argumentation, there is abundance of ignorance and Maya." He advised against trying to establish one's own side or refute another's, calling it a "useless effort." This directly contradicted the author's self-described personality as a "staunch debater" who was cynical, critical, and proud of his logic-driven mind. The author acknowledges that it was only through destiny and the insistence of his friends that he, with his argumentative nature, was brought to the feet of Sai Baba, who taught the path of egoless surrender over intellectual debate.