He began to practise with great zeal the art of archery. Every day, like the other robbers living there, Gautama, o king, went into the forest and killed a large number of wild cranes. Always engaged in killing living creatures, he became well-skilled in that act and soon became shorn of mercy. For his intimacy with robbers he became one like one of them.
बाणवेधे परं यत्नमकरोच्चैव गौतमः। चक्राङ्गान् स च नित्यं वै सर्वतो वनगोचरान्॥ जघान गौतमो राजन् यथा दस्युगणास्तथा। हिंसापटुघृणाहीन: सदा प्राणिवधे रतः॥ गौतमः संनिकर्षेण दस्युभिः समतामियात्।