What were Hemadpant's character flaws before he began writing about Sai Baba?

In Chapter 2, the author, who would later be named Hemadpant, describes his own initial character in a very self-critical way. He states that he was "mischievous, talkative, cynical, and critical." He also admits to being arrogant about his own knowledge, having a logic-driven mind, and being prone to argumentation. This pride in his own wisdom meant he knew nothing of a Satguru's greatness and possessed what he calls a "bad intellect." These self-described flaws set the stage for his transformation through his experiences.