Editing Chhayavad (section)

===By critics===
Prominent critic [[Ramchandra Shukla]] in his ''Hindi Sahitya ka Itihas'' asserts that: {{blockquote|Chāyāvād should be understood in two senses. First, in the context of mysticism, where it relates to the subject matter of poetry, depicting the poet's eternal and unknown beloved through highly imaginative language. Second, as a particular poetic style, where the focus lies in expressing the unmanifest through the shadow of the manifest. Chhayavad generally represents an artistic response against the dry, narrative style of the Dwivedi era.<small> (English translation)</small><ref>Shukla, Ramchandra (1938) "छायावादी शब्द का प्रयोग दो अर्थों में समझना चाहिए। एक तो रहस्यवाद के अर्थ में, जहाँ उसका संबंध काव्य-वस्तु से होता है अर्थात् जहाँ कवि उस अनन्त और अज्ञात प्रियतम को आलंबन बनाकर अत्यंत चित्रमयी भाषा में प्रेम का अनेक प्रकार से व्यंजना करता है। इस अर्थ का दूसरा प्रयोग काव्य-शैली या पद्धति-विशेष के व्यापक अर्थ में होता है। छायावाद का चलन द्विवेदी काल की रूखी इतिवृत्तात्मक (कथात्मकता) की प्रतिक्रिया के रूप में हुआ था।"</ref><ref>Sharan, Deenanath (1958), p.06</ref>}}

[[Hazari Prasad Dwivedi]] asserted that Chāyāvād stemmed from an inward orientation of the mind and a steadfast belief in the changing human condition. The poets of this era were endowed with exceptional sensitivity and keen awareness of social disparities and discord. Stylistically, they were markedly distinct from their predecessors, focusing primarily on subjectivity. By 1920, Khadi Boli poetry still emphasized themes, but subsequently, the poet's own emotions and sentiments took precedence. The significance of the theme itself became secondary, while the poet's inner resonance with it became paramount.<ref>Sharan, Deenanath (1958), p.08</ref>

[[Namwar Singh]] wrote: {{blockquote|Regardless of its literal meaning, the term chāyāvād practically refers to the collected works of poets like Prasad, Nirala, Pant, and Mahadevi written between 1918 and 1936. It is the poetic manifestation of the national awakening of that era, striving to break free from old traditions on one hand and foreign domination on the other.<small> (English translation)</small><ref>Singh, Namvar (2018), p.48</ref>}}

[[Nand Dulare Bajpai]] defined Chāyāvād as the subtle yet manifest beauty of nature imbued with a spiritual aura, offering a universally accepted explanation of the movement.