What was the author's personality like before meeting Sai Baba, and what circumstances led him to Shirdi despite this?

In Chapter 2, the author describes his former self in very critical terms. He admits to being "mischievous, talkative, cynical, and critical," with a "logic-driven mind." He was arrogant about his knowledge, proud of his wisdom, and prone to argumentation. Despite this disposition, his destiny led him to Sai Baba's feet. The text attributes his journey to Shirdi to a "past life connection with Kakasaheb Dixit and Nanasaheb Chandorkar." It was specifically due to Kakasaheb's strong insistence that the trip was finalized. The narrative also mentions that on the day of departure, his mind changed, and it recounts a tragic story of a friend's son dying despite all efforts, an event that seems to have occurred around the time of his journey.