Kali-yuga is not very good age, simply faults. We have several times discussed that in this age, people's duration of life, mercifulness, bodily strength and so many things, eight kinds of things, will be reduced. The age is reducing, the bodily strength is also reducing. Now you American generation, you are not as strong as your father or grandfather. You can understand that. You are not so luxuriantly grown up, bodily growth. There are so many reasons, but this is the symptom of age of Kali. And they're described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, foretold, five thousand years ago, what will happen in this Kali-yuga. That is all explained in the Twelfth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, third, fourth chapter. So simply full of faults. Social life, political life, religious life—everything has been described there. And one thing I can see very practical, that in this age, lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam (SB 12.2.6). It is stated there that people will think that by keeping long hairs they will become very beautiful. That is stated there. Dāmpatye ratim eva hi, husband and wife's relation will depend on the strength of sex. These are described there. Svīkāra eva udvāhe (SB 12.2.5): marriage will be performed simply by agreement.
Now, this is śāstra. Five thousand years ago, what was written, that is now becoming true. Now there is no marriage as it was taking formerly, Vedic marriage. The father-mother will select the bride, bridegroom, and there will be gorgeous ceremony and marriage. The father will spend . . . both parties, the girl's father and the boy's father, will spend. Still, in India, there are cases like that. They'll spend their hard-earned money during the marriage ceremony of their son and daughter. But in this age, gradually, it is said, svīkāra eva udvāhe. Udvāha means marriage, taking the charge of the girl. The boy takes charge of the young girl from the custody of her father. This is marriage. Woman, according to Vedic civilization, they are not recommended freedom. They should be taken care just like children are taken care of. You cannot give independence to the children. That is not possible. Then it is not good for them. Similarly, woman also should be taken care of. They should not be given freedom. That is not good for them. They should be protected by the father in childhood, by the husband in youthhood, and by the grown-up children in old age. Three stages. But in this age, women are trying to take independence of father, husband or children. That is not good. That is described in the śāstra.