Reading Diary B: Week 5

• Rama's magic is apparently so powerful that even when Ravana is about to mention Rama's name, Marchria stops him and tells him that Rama is who made him into a hermit. Marichia actually does a ton of foreshadowing in his warnings to Ravana, stating that Ravana will be reduced to nothing unless he gives up on his quest for Sita's hand in marriage. Marichia is quoted saying that Rama can bring down the stars with his arrows... create earth all anew. This is illustrating much more than just the astras and archery mastery Rama possesses, 
• In the scene where Rama hunts down Marichia as the golden deer, his bow is described and diamond and rainbow - with golden arrows. Most of these materials are not pliable or viable for weapons, but that may just be part of Rama's greatness.

 Vali

•  Vali and his evil buffalo Dundhuvi are described as the only ones that are as ill-mannered as each other. Dundhuvi was set to do something to anyone that looked at him the wrong way. This dumb ox even managed to challenge giant waves of the ocean and peaks of the himilayas to battles. He was nice enough to only fight Vali once he was sober. It is not described in much detail, but Vali defeats the ox fairly quickly, the battle being described as a fire on earth. Vali shows how strong he is as he tosses the bloody corpse after swinging it around. Vali is no weakling.
• Vali, cursed by the cave where he first killed the buffalo, managed a year-long battle with Asuras, and despite its overwhelming length, defeated all the asuras, sending their blood throughout the cave. Vali was no slouch, easily he could defeat a troop of asuras.
• After this depiction of Vali as a very formidable opponent for Rama, Vali is easily defeated through the use of Rama's one arrow into his back. I think this speaks more to Rama's ability to hit a vital area than his magic ability, but it's also not elaborated on very much how Rama's arrows are often fatal critical hits, even through the tougher monkey carcass of Vali