Book Title: Ashtapad Maha Tirth 02
Author(s): Rajnikant Shah, Others
Publisher: USA Jain Center America NY

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Page 79
________________ Chapter 01 Introduction to Research Earth, Himalayan range and beginning of the monsoon etc. I present in Figure 4 the estimated periods, which have been now well-known from various discoveries made by geoscientists, paleoclimatologists and archaeologists. The Earth was born sometimes 4.54 billions of years (Ga) before present. Thus birth of Bhagwan Rushabhdev before 4.54 Ga is not likely. Further, the evolution of the Himalayan range took place about 60-55 million of years (Ma) before present as a consequence of collision of Asian and Indian plates. It may be noted that the current configuration of the Himalayan range was achieved sometimes 20 Ma years before present. However, the monsoon started only 10 Ma from present time. The brief summary of the Earth's evolution and the birth of the Himalayan range are presented in Figure 4 as "Fixing the Milestones 1". In order for human life to evolve and survive, water has a vital role in general and in agriculture in particular. It has been very well established in Jain scriptures that Bhagwan Rushabhdev taught us Aasi (defense). Masi (art) and Krishi (agriculture). So we may conjecture a first-cut model that period of Bhagwan Rushabhdev might not be before 10 Ma in contrast to generally referred as koda-kodi (10 years) in Jain scriptures. The life of mountain range has been estimated by scientists between 100-1000 Ma. Perhaps we might have not forgotten the large altitude peaks of Aravali and Vindhyachal mountain ranges that existed in the past and decayed over time. Currently they appear as very low altitude mountain series. This allows me on the scientific basis to conclude at this stage the period of Shri Rushabhdev to be less than 10 million years from now. 2. Human Evolution: The word "homo", the name of the biological genus to which humans belongs is Latin for "human". The Latin "homo" derives from the Indo-European root, dhghem, or "earth". The first debates about the nature of human evolution arose between Thomas Huxley and Richard Owen. Huxley argued for human evolution from apes by illustrating many of the similarities and differences between humans and apes and did so particularly in his 1863 book Evidence as to Man's Place in Nature. However, many of Darwin's early supporters (such as Alfred Russel Wallace and Charles Lyell) did not agree that the origin of the mental capacities and the moral sensibilities of humans could be explained by natural selection. Darwin applied the theory of evolution and sexual selection to humans when he published The Descent of Man in 1871. Fixing the Milestones - 1 The Age of the Earth Evolution of Himalayan range→ Collision of Indo-Australian and Asian Plates: 55 Ma B.P. Current configuration attained. : 20-10Ma B.P.. Monsoon Started 10 Ma B.P. 100 1000 Ma Life of Mountain Range ~ : 4.54 Ga B.P. Fig.4: Fixing the geological parameters- to estimate the period of Bhagwan Rushabhdev. A major problem was the lack of fossil intermediaries. It was only in the 1920s that such fossils were discovered in Africa. In 1925, Raymond Dart described Australopithecus africanus. The type specimen was the Taung Child, an Australopithecine infant discovered in a cave. The child's remains were a remarkably well-preserved tiny skull and an endocranial cast Ma-Million years B. P.-Before present 23 New Techniques to discover Ashtapad

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