प्राणोऽपानो व्यान इत्यष्टावक्षराणि ।अष्टाक्षरं ह वा एकं गायत्र्यै पदम् ।एतदु हैवास्या एतत् ।स यावदिदं प्राणि तावद्ध जयति योऽस्या एतदेवं पदं वेद ।अथास्या एतदेव तुरीयं दर्शतं पदं परोरजा य एष तपति ।यद्वै चतुर्थं तत्तुरीयम् ।दर्शतं पदमिति ददृश इव ह्येषः ।परोरजा इति सर्वमु ह्येवैष रज उपर्युपरि तपति ।एवं हैव श्रिया यशसा तपति योऽस्या एतदेवं पदं वेद ॥बृह. ५,१४.३ ॥
In plain words
The out-breath, the down-breath, the diffused breath — these are eight syllables, and one foot of the Gāyatrī has eight syllables; and this is that foot of hers. He who knows this foot of hers wins as much as there is here that breathes. And her fourth foot, the visible one beyond the dust, is this sun that gives heat. What is fourth is turīya; it is the visible foot because it is as it were seen; and it is beyond the dust because it gives heat above all this dust. He who knows this foot of hers likewise gives heat with prosperity and glory.
The commentators
Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣadbhāṣyam· bhāṣya
तथा प्राणः अपानः व्यानः एतान्यपि प्राणाद्यभिधाना- क्षराणि अष्टौ ; तच्च गायत्र्यास्तृतीयं पदम् ; यावदिदं प्राणि- जातम् , तावत् ह जयति, योऽस्या एतदेवं गायत्र्यास्तृतीयं पदं
In plain words
In the same way, prāṇa, apāna, and vyāna give eight syllables again, and that is the third foot of the Gāyatrī. Whatever breathes anywhere belongs to the one who knows this third foot in just this way —.
Close to the Sanskrit
Likewise, prāṇa, apāna, vyāna — these too, the syllables named prāṇa etc., are eight. And that is the third foot of the Gāyatrī. As much as this whole class of living, breathing beings is, that much he conquers who thus knows this third foot of the Gāyatrī — …