Matsyapurana 18.6

18.6

tasmātpretapuraṃ preto dvādaśāhaṃ na nīyate
gṛhaṃ putraṃ kalatraṃ ca dvādaśāhaṃ prapaśyati //

In case of offering Piṇḍa to the deceased on the 12th day after his death, the attendants of Yama do not carry the spirit to the city of the God of Death, and during this period the departed spirit sees his sons, wife or any other member of the family, and observes whether they provide it with something for its comfort on its long journey or not. It is for this reason that a pitcher full of water is suspended from a tree, for a period of ten days. Its water soothes the heat of cremation and also refreshes the spirit when it gets weary on the great journey.—6-7.