Maya consists of five tatwas viz. Kalaa, Vidyaa, Raaga, kaalaa, and niyatthi. These five are the products of maya.

1 .Kalaa:

The ego covers the three shakthies viz iccha, jnana and kriya of the Self. We have already seen that the Self or the Brahman is witnessing the activities around it and it does not act by itself. The creative activity of the Self consisting of these three shakthies is covered by ego. This state of atman or Self covered by ego is called Kalaa tatwa. This tatwa marginally removes the ego and kindles the kriya shakthi.

2. Vidyaa:

This tatwa emerges from Kalaa tatwa, which we have discussed above. It also acts in the same way like Kalaa tatwa. This also marginally removes the ego and kindles the jnana shakthi.

3. Ragga:

This emerges from Vidyaa tatwa. This marginally removes the ego and kindles Iccha shakthi.

4. Kaalaa:

This is the past, present and future of time. For every action there should be a reason. Without reason no action takes place. This time factor is applicable only to those who are under the influence of time. The creations of the Absolute are controlled by time. The Absolute is beyond time. So, this tatwa is applicable only to the creation and not to the creator.

5. Niyathi:

This is responsible for the effects of good and bad deeds. This emerges from Kaalaa tatwa. Kaalaa tatwa makes a person to perform good or bad deeds. Niyathi gives results of those deeds. The above five tatwas together make maya, the illusion. For every act there are three stages. They are Iccha, the desire to do the act. For doing any act there should be a goal. Only to achieve that goal, the act is done. In the first stage of achieving the goal, desire is important. The goal is the object. The next stage to understand the goal, that is knowing the object. This is jnana shakthi. Unless we have the complete knowledge about the object or unless we understand the object well, we cannot achieve the goal. After acquiring complete knowledge of the object, we act to get the object. This is kriya shakthi. The example of a car has already been cited. For acquiring the object we need time. The time in this place can be interpreted as past, present and future. The desire to obtain the object was past. We have already conceived the idea. This is the first stage of obtaining the object. Only after crossing that stage the next stage can be achieved. Therefore it is past. The next stage is present stage. We are acquiring knowledge from various sources. We read news papers, talk to our friends etc. This is the act we do before proceeding to buy the object. Therefore this is present. The third stage is waiting for us. We are yet to get that object. It is going to happen in future. The act we are going to do may be good or bad. This is the broad interpretation of maya tatwa consisting of the above five tatwas. Will be continued in further postings.