How does the author describe his own personality before meeting Sai Baba and what led him to Shirdi?

In Chapter 2, the author, who would later be known as Hemadpant, provides a candid self-assessment of his character before his transformation. He describes himself as mischievous, talkative, cynical, and critical. He admits to being arrogant about his knowledge, possessing a logic-driven mind, and being prone to argumentation. He knew nothing of a Satguru's greatness. Despite this disposition, he states that destiny was strong. His journey to Shirdi was not his own initiative but came about due to the insistence of Kakasaheb Dixit and his past life connections with devotees, which ultimately allowed him to see Sai's lotus feet by chance.