The Religion of the Veda: The Ancient Religion of India (from Rig-Veda to Upanishads) c11.91

c11.91

Then he passes into the life stage of full-grown man, husband and householder (*gṛhastha*). His great duties are now worship and sacrifice to the gods,—and the begetting of sons. The latter are of great importance, because they carry on through unbroken generations the cult of the Manes or Fathers who, in a vaguely inconsistent way, are still carrying on a happy life in the abodes of the blessed—between transmigrations we must suppose. This as reward for their supposedly very pious lives.