गायन्तं त्रायते यस्मात्गायत्री तु ततः स्मृतः ।
gāyantaṁ trāyate yasmāt gāyatrī tu tataḥ smṛtaḥ |
(Agni Purāṇa; cited in Śabda-kalpa-druma)
“Because it liberates one who sings [it], it is known as gāyatrī [lit., ‘that which is a liberator by means of singing’].”