Shloka 12
एकार्णव-सृष्टिक्रमः, ब्रह्म-विष्णु-परस्परप्रवेशः, शिवस्य आगमनं च
प्रोवाच को भवाञ्छेते ह्य् आश्रितो मध्यमम्भसाम् अथ तस्याच्युतः श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणस्तु शुभं वचः
provāca ko bhavāñchete hy āśrito madhyamambhasām atha tasyācyutaḥ śrutvā brahmaṇastu śubhaṃ vacaḥ
梵天说道：“你是谁，竟在此处卧于众水之中，以水为依？”于是阿周陀（毗湿奴）听闻梵天的吉祥之言，便作答——并继续探问那超越被缚之世（pāśa）之上的至上帕提（Pati）。
Suta (narrating an internal dialogue where Brahma addresses Vishnu)
FAQs
It sets up the primordial inquiry that culminates in recognizing a reality beyond the creator and preserver—preparing the ground for the Linga as the sign (liṅga) of the transcendent Pati, the Supreme Lord whom worship ultimately addresses.
By portraying Brahmā and Viṣṇu in questioning dialogue within the causal waters, the verse implies their limited standpoint within sṛṣṭi; Shiva-tattva is suggested as the higher Pati whose sign will later resolve their doubt—distinct from pashu-bound functions and pasha-conditioned perception.
No explicit rite is stated, but the verse models tattva-vicāra (discriminative inquiry): the yogic movement from names and roles (Brahmā/Viṣṇu) toward the recognition of Pati, which later becomes grounded in liṅga-upāsanā and Pāśupata-aligned devotion.