hiraṇya-garbhaḥ - Lord Brahmā; vedānām - of the Vedas; mantrāṇām - of mantras; praṇavaḥ - the oṁkāra; tri-vṛt - consisting of three letters; akṣarāṇām - of letters; a-kāraḥ - the first letter, a; asmi - I am; padāni - the three-line Gāyatrī mantra; chandasām - among sacred meters; aham - I am.

Among the Vedas I am their original teacher, Lord Brahmā, and of all mantras I am the three-lettered oṁkāra. Among letters I am the first letter, “a,” and among sacred meters I am the Gāyatrī mantra.