Answer

Rishabhdev ji, also known as Bhagwan Adinath, existed in the very ancient past, in the current time cycle’s Avasarpini Kāl.

According to Jain tradition, he was the 1st Tirthankar of the present Avasarpini era.

Explanation

In Jain Dharma, time is not viewed as a few thousand years only. Jainism describes time as an endless cycle divided into:

• Utsarpini – ascending time cycle
• Avasarpini – descending time cycle

Bhagwan Rishabhdev ji appeared in the present Avasarpini, during an extremely ancient period when human life span, height, strength, and spiritual capacity were far greater than today.

He is traditionally understood as the first great teacher who taught human society important skills such as:

• agriculture
• cooking
• writing and social organization
• arts, crafts, and livelihood
• the path of renunciation and liberation

Spiritual Understanding

Rishabhdev ji is called Adinath, meaning “the first Lord,” because he was the first Tirthankar of this time cycle and established the Jain path for that era.

Takeaway

Bhagwan Rishabhdev ji did not belong to a recent historical era like the Iron Age or Bronze Age. In Jain tradition, he existed in an extremely ancient cosmic era of the current Avasarpini Kāl, far before recorded human history.