Kali Yuga is the age of darkness, meaning that the people in general have no knowledge about life and its ultimate goal. Lack of knowledge of the absolute truth leads to a complete misdirection of the civilization on the part of the so called brahminical and administrative class - our scientists and government leaders. From the food we eat, to the clothes we wear, to even the way we pass stool - everything we have learnt from society is wrong. The vedas give us complete knowledge of both spiritual and material life, and how to utilise the material body for the ultimate goal, understanding God. 'The Vedas are therefore codes of working directions. Anything performed without the direction of the Vedas is called vikarma, or unauthorized or sinful work. Therefore, one should always take direction from the Vedas to be saved from the reaction of work.' - B.G 3.15 Purport.
For the majority of materialistic persons, the ultimate goal of life is to have a nice family and home. Unfortunately for such small minded people, the idea of God is completely foreign to them, and they spend many lifetimes searching for the ecstacy of God realization in temporary forms such as husband or wife. Whilst associating with the material world can give us some pleasure, we should understand that whatever we have in minute quantity is present in its fullness in Krishna. 'janmady asya yatah - everything is emanating from the absolute truth.'
Married life can be utilised however, for God realization if dovetailed with the service of Krishna, and to know how to serve God we must approach a bonafide spiritual master. 'The Vedic wisdom therefore advises that in order to solve the perplexities of life and to understand the science of the solution, one must approach a spiritual master who is in the disciplic succession. A person with a bona fide spiritual master is supposed to know everything. One should not, therefore, remain in material perplexities but should approach a spiritual master.' B.G 2.7 Purport
The current acharya, or spiritual master, is His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and he has given many directions, as prescribed in the vedas on how to have an ideal Krishna conscious marriage. So here are quotes and instructions for any householders who want to go back home.
'The wife is dependent on the husband, and if the husband is a Vaishnava, then naturally she shares the devotional service of the husband because she renders him service. This reciprocation of service and love between husband and wife is the ideal of a householder's life.' - S.B 2.3.1 Purport
'As constituted by bodily frame, a man always wants to be superior to his wife, and a woman, as bodily constituted, is naturally inferior to her husband. Thus the natural instinct is that the husband wants to post himself as superior to the wife, and this must be observed. Even if there is some wrong on the part of the husband, the wife must tolerate it, and thus there will be no misunderstanding between husband and wife.' - S.B 2.3.2 Purport
'Just as one saves his money and places it under his own personal protection, one should similarly protect his wife by his own personal supervision. Just as intelligence is always within the heart, so a beloved chaste wife should always have her place on the chest of a good husband. This is the proper relationship between husband and wife. A wife is therefore called ardhāṅganī, or half of the body.' - S.B 4.26.17 Purport
'During the time of brahmacarya, or student life, a brahmacārī should be taught to be expert in bhāgavata-dharma, devotional service. Then when he marries, if his wife is faithful to her husband and follows him in such life, the relationship between husband and wife is very desirable. However, a relationship between husband and wife without spiritual consciousness but strictly for sense gratification is not at all good. It is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.2.3) that especially in this age, Kali-yuga, dām-patye 'bhirucir hetuḥ: the relationship between husband and wife will be based on sexual power. Therefore householder life in this Kali-yuga is extremely dangerous unless both the wife and husband take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.' - S.B 6.18.40 Purport
'The relationship between husband and wife is firmly established when the wife is faithful and the husband sincere. Then even if the wife, being weaker, is unable to execute devotional service with her husband, if she is chaste and sincere she shares half of her husband's activities.' S.B 6.19.18 Purport
'This material world we have to pass through many circumstances, but sometimes, even it is intolerable, we have to tolerate. So according to Hindu conception of life, even there is some misunderstanding between husband and wife, it is not taken very seriously. Never taken very seriously. But in your country, in the name of liberty and freedom, there are so many things. I do not wish to discuss all those things. But according to Vedic system, husband and wife, united together, there cannot be any separation.' - Wedding of Syama Dasi and Hayagriva
'Marriage between husband and wife means that the husband must forever be responsible for the wife's well-being and protection in all cases. That does not mean that now there is agreement between us, therefore I am responsible, but as soon as there is some disagreement then I immediately flee the scene and become so-called renounced.' - Letter to Sudevi, 15th September 1972
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