How does the author describe his own character and mindset before his transformation?

The author provides a very self-critical description of his former character before he was known as Hemadpant. In Chapter 2, he admits to having been mischievous, talkative, cynical, and critical. He was arrogant about his intellectual abilities, possessing a logic-driven mind that was always proud of its own wisdom and prone to argumentation. The text mentions he had a "bad intellect" and, importantly, he knew nothing of the greatness of a Satguru. This initial characterization sets the stage for a significant personal transformation that is central to his story.