When a person dies, what happens after that? Does he go to Yama Loka like this answer suggest: What happens after death? or he remains at "familiar" places for 10 days?
Swami Sivananda says:
The soul which passes out of the body after death is termed ‘Preta’, one that is bound on its onward march to the Beyond. The soul in its disembodied form hovers about its original and familiar places for ten days. It is in the form of a ghost during these ten days. The astral body takes shape from day to day with the formation of the head, eyes, and other limbs of the Linga Sarira, fed and nourished by the sesamum and water poured out in libation over the stones which represent the ancestors.
He says only on 11th day does the soul departs to Yama Loka.
The soul is fully embodied on the eleventh day. It starts on its journey to the judgement seat of Lord Yama, the God of death. It takes one full year from the time of death to reach Lord Yama’s place. The path is beset with obstacles, distress and difficulties. The man who has done the most wicked deeds suffers more. But the difficulties can be removed and the journey be rendered easy and comfortable by the oblations and offerings given by the son of the deceased during the first year of the soul’s journey and by feeding pure and learned Brahmins. The son should offer rice-balls to the father, without weeping.
I have read the same thing at other places also that the soul remains at home for around 10 days and that might be the reason why 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th day after death is important.
