शैनेयो<पि गुरो: पुत्र सर्वमर्मसु भारत । अताडयदमेयात्मा नवभि: कड़कवाजितै:,भारत! तब अनन्त आत्मबलसे सम्पन्न सात्यकिने भी गुरुपुत्र अश्वत्थामाके सम्पूर्ण मर्मस्थानोंमें नौ कंकपत्रयुक्त बाण मारे
Śaineyo 'pi guroḥ putra sarva-marmasu Bhārata | atāḍayad ameyātmā navabhiḥ kaṅkapatra-yuktaiḥ ||
¡Oh Bhārata! Śaineya (Sātyaki), de poder inconmensurable, también respondió: hirió al hijo del preceptor (Aśvatthāmā) en todos sus puntos vitales con nueve flechas provistas de plumas de garza.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights how, in the chaos of war, personal status and revered lineage (being the guru’s son) do not guarantee protection; martial skill targets vulnerability directly. It implicitly warns that when dharma deteriorates into armed conflict, ethical restraints weaken and outcomes hinge on force, precision, and consequence.
Sañjaya reports that Sātyaki (Śaineya), empowered by great strength, strikes Aśvatthāman—the son of Droṇa—at his vital points with nine feather-fletched arrows, describing a decisive and technically precise exchange in the battle.