What happens if Pind Daan is not performed for departed ancestors?

According to the Garuda Purana (Pretakhanda), when Pind Daan is not performed, the soul of the departed remains in an unstable Preta (ghost) state — unable to progress to Pitru Loka (ancestral realm) or beyond. The soul suffers hunger and thirst, cannot receive future Shraddha offerings, and may cause Pitra Dosh in the descendants’ birth charts — manifesting as delays in marriage, lack of children, financial instability, health issues, and family discord. The Manusmriti (3.218) warns that descendants who neglect ancestral rites are themselves denied the merit of their good deeds. Performing Pind Daan at Gaya is scripturally considered the most powerful single remedy to reverse past neglect and liberate even long-unmarked ancestors.