How did the author describe his own character and intellectual state before he understood the Satguru's greatness?

In Chapter 2, the author provides a very critical self-assessment of his former self. Before understanding the Satguru's greatness, he describes himself as mischievous, talkative, cynical, and prone to criticism. He admits to being arrogant about his knowledge, possessing a "bad intellect and a logic-driven mind." He was always proud of his own wisdom and was therefore inclined to argumentation. This candid description serves to contrast his previous state of mind with the surrender and devotion he later adopted under Sai Baba's guidance.