Rishabha was the first Tirthankara. Parshvanatha was the twenty-third Tirthankara; and Mahavira was the twenty-fourth Tirthankara. Accordingly, the statements (1) and (2) are correct but the third statement is incorrect. Therefore, the answer is option (a).There were 23 tirthankars before Mahavira, Rishabha being the first and Parshvanatha being the 23rd.