Kakugon' means a lower-ranked retainer (samurai) who serves for a high-ranking official, dedicating himself to his duties, and this comment can be interpreted to mean that Sanesuke was ridiculing, saying that Saemon no kami (captain of the Left Division of Outer Palace Guards) FUJIWARA no Tadanobu, and other Kandachimes (court nobles, including Toshikata, Kinto, Yukinari in this context) had been reduced to mere retainers of the Safu (left ministry, meaning minister of the left FUJIWARA no Michinaga).
「恪勤」には職務に精励するとともに、高官に仕える身分の低い従者（侍）の意味を持っており、実資は右衛門督（藤原斉信）以下の上達部（公卿、ここには俊賢・公任・行成を含む）が左府（左大臣藤原道長）の従者に成り下がったと嘲笑したと解されている。