from the book 'The Life and Teachings of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti' by Ac. Vijayananda Avt.

From boyhood Prabhat Ranjan was knowledgeable in various branches and sub-branches of sa'dhana'. Spiritual practices may be broadly divided into three broad categories. The first is vidya' sa'dhana', the second, avidya' sa'dhana', and the third, upavidya' sa'dhana'. Sadashiva was the exponent of these branches of spiritual practices more than 7000 years ago. 

Here I would like to say a few words on upavidya' sa'dhana'. One might have heard of nakha darpan'a or nail-gazing and spha'tika darpan'a or crystal-gazing. Any practitioner who has perfected nakha darpan'a may use a fingernail like a mirror to see into the past or the future of a petitioner. A crystal can be used in the same way; the image created is just like the screen of a television. Prabhat Ranjan was adept in upavidya' even as a student. 

Before giving any readings of this sort, he would instruct the interested person to seek the prior permission of his mother, Abharani. Close relatives and friends of the Sarkar family knew about this unique talent of Prabhat Ranjan's. 

Communications abroad were cut off because of the war and many relatives were worried about their dear ones. Concerned parents would approach Prabhat Ranjan for information about their children living abroad. Or for instance, somebody had died and bereaved relatives wanted consolation about the dead one. Such type of anxious and inquisitive people would plead with Abharani to give permission for readings from her son. After receiving his mother's permission, Prabhat Ranjan would take the person inside his bedroom and bolt the door from inside. 

In a corner of that room there was a medium-sized looking glass. The petitioner would sit in a chair in the corner of the room and Prabhat Ranjan would sit on a meditation seat on the other side of the room. He or she would be asked to gaze into the mirror without blinking and Prabhat Ranjan would also stare into the mirror. In a few minutes a picture would emerge in the mirror. Through this image questioners could see their loved ones and could understand about their well-being. 

For years Prabhat Ranjan relieved the hearts of many anxious parents and relatives through that mirror, although he would feel indisposed after each reading. Mother Abharani finally smashed that magic mirror out of concern for her son's health and Prabhat Ranjan stopped giving readings of this sort. In 1982 he composed a song about this magic mirror for his Prabhat Samgiita collection:

Ma'ya' mukure ke kii bha'be kii kare 

Sabi ja'no ogo debata' 

Pran'era spandan yuga bibarttan 

Sabi shono gopana katha'. 

Toma're luka'ye kii karite pa'ri 

Toma're bhula'ye kii bha'bite pa'ri 

Sakal bika'sh ma'jhe tumi a'cho sab ka'je 

Niiraba madhurata'.

In Your magic mirror, what we think, what we do,

Oh Lord, You know all

The pulsation of life, the evolution of the ages,

You listen, you hear all the secrets

By hiding from You, what can we do?

By making You unmindful, what can we think?