Shiva appeared as Lingodbhavamurti a linga form with no beginning and end – before Vishnu and Brahma. Lingodbhavamurti is represented as a cylindrical pillar of fire with the image of four-armed Shiva seen inside in the center of the linga. In some murtis, Brahma and Vishnu are also shown. In some they are represented by swan and boar.
Once Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu got into an argument as to who was greater. The argument continued for eons and showed no signs of ending until one day, quite suddenly, a column of fire appeared between them. This fiery column seemed to have no beginning and no end, and the two Gods decided that whoever found the beginning or the end of the column first would be the winner.
After sometime lord vishnu came back and said he could not find it. Lord Brahma came back and lied that he had found the source of the flame. This angered lord shiva as brahmaji lied and cursed that there will be no Brahma will never be worshipped.
This form of Shiva appearing from the column of fire is known as Lingodbhavamurti. It is one of the most common depictions of Shiva in the temples of South India.