महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-123, verse-17

अद्भिर्गात्रान्मलमिव तमोऽग्निप्रभया यथा ।
दानेन तपसा चैव सर्वपापमपोह्यते ॥१७॥

17. adbhirgātrānmalamiva tamo'gniprabhayā yathā ,
dānena tapasā caiva sarvapāpamapohyate.

17. adbhiḥ gātrāt malam iva tamaḥ agniprabhayā
yathā dānena tapasā ca eva sarvapāpam apohyate

17. yathā adbhiḥ gātrāt malam iva (apohyate),
(yathā) agniprabhayā tamaḥ (apohyate),
(tathā) dānena tapasā ca eva sarvapāpam apohyate.

17. Just as dirt is removed from the body by water, and darkness by the light of fire, so too all sin is dispelled by charity (dāna) and by austerity (tapas).

Words meanings summery:

• अद्भिः (adbhiḥ) - by waters

• गात्रात् (gātrāt) - from the body

• मलम् (malam) - dirt, impurity, filth

• इव (iva) - like, as if, just as

• तमः (tamaḥ) - darkness

• अग्निप्रभया (agniprabhayā) - by the light of fire

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as

• दानेन (dānena) - by charity, by giving

• तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity, by penance

• च (ca) - and

• एव (eva) - indeed, just, certainly

• सर्वपापम् (sarvapāpam) - all sin

• अपोह्यते (apohyate) - is removed, is dispelled, is thrown away

Words meanings and morphology

अद्भिः (adbhiḥ) - by waters

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, plural of ap

ap - water

Always used in plural in classical Sanskrit.

Note: Agent of removal.

गात्रात् (gātrāt) - from the body

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of gātra

gātra - limb, body

Note: Source from which something is removed.

मलम् (malam) - dirt, impurity, filth

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mala

mala - dirt, impurity, defilement, excrement

Root: mal (class 10)

Note: Subject of the simile.

इव (iva) - like, as if, just as

(indeclinable)

तमः (tamaḥ) - darkness

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tamas

tamas - darkness, gloom, ignorance, inertia

Root: tam

Note: Subject of the second simile.

अग्निप्रभया (agniprabhayā) - by the light of fire

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of agniprabhā

agniprabhā - light of fire, glow of fire

Compound noun.

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī tatpuruṣa (agni+prabhā)

• agni – fire, Vedic fire ritual (homa)
  noun (masculine)
• prabhā – light, luster, radiance
  noun (feminine)
  From 'pra' + root 'bhā' (to shine).
  Prefix: pra
  Root: bhā (class 2)

Note: Agent of dispelling darkness.

यथा (yathā) - just as, as

(indeclinable)

Correlative adverb.

दानेन (dānena) - by charity, by giving

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of dāna

dāna - giving, donation, charity, gift

From root 'dā' (to give).

Root: dā (class 1)

Note: Agent of removal.

तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity, by penance

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - austerity, penance, heat, spiritual fervor

From root 'tap' (to heat, to perform austerity).

Root: tap (class 1)

Note: Agent of removal.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed, just, certainly

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle.

सर्वपापम् (sarvapāpam) - all sin

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sarvapāpa

sarvapāpa - all sin, every transgression

Compound noun.

Compound type : karmadhāraya (sarva+pāpa)

• sarva – all, every, whole
  pronoun (masculine)
• pāpa – sin, evil, wickedness, demerit
  noun (neuter)

Note: Subject of 'apohyate'.

अपोह्यते (apohyate) - is removed, is dispelled, is thrown away

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of apohya

Present Tense, Passive Voice

From root 'ūh' (to remove) with prefix 'apa'.

Prefix: apa

Root: ūh (class 1)