गायत्री वा ईदं सर्वं भूतं यदिदं किं च वाग्वै गायत्री वाग्वा इदं सर्वं भूतं गायति च त्रायते च ॥ ३.१२.१ ॥
gāyatrī vā īdaṃ sarvaṃ bhūtaṃ yadidaṃ kiṃ ca vāgvai gāyatrī vāgvā idaṃ sarvaṃ bhūtaṃ gāyati ca trāyate ca || 3.12.1 ||
1. All that exists in this world, whatever there is, is gāyatrī. It is the word that is gāyatrī, for the word gives names to all things and it also tells them not to fear.
Word-for-word explanation:
Gāyatrī vai idam sarvam bhūtam, all these beings are gāyatrī; yat idam kiñca, whatever is there; vāk vai gāyatrī, the word is gāyatrī; vāk vai idam sarvam bhūtam gāyati ca, it is vāk that gives names [or sings] to all things; trāyate ca, and also gives protection.
Commentary:
Here the importance of the gāyatrī is Being emphasized. True, the gāyatrī is poetry, but it is that poetry which leads to Brahman. This gāyatrī is also called vāk, word, because it is vāk which identifies everything that exists. Vāk gives everything a name and thereby gives it a status.
The word gāyatrī means gāyati ca trāyate ca—that which gives names (or sings) to things and also gives them protection. It also means gāyantam trāyate—that is, he who repeats the gāyatrī is saved. (Ga means singing, and tra means saving or protecting.)