Sanskrit for ‘pillar’, historically appearing in various contexts, including Vedic liturgy, Brahmanical mythology, and Brahmanical treatises on architecture, theatre and sculpture. In general, the stambha is a symbol of connection between sky and earth; the Rigveda and Atharvaveda make frequent references to a divine pillar that brings the two into contact, uniting the material and the transcendental and maintaining cosmic order. The image of a cosmic pillar or axis mundi carries significance across cultures. In Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temple architecture, the stambha is a crucial symbolic feature. Many Vedic and Upanishadic texts also refer to the human body as the stambha uniting earthly and heavenly principles. In Brahmanical theatre as described in the Natyashastra, the installation of the jarjara (usually a bamboo pole) on the stage functions akin to the cosmic stambha, establishing a centre for the world of the performance.