Kundli matching and the 36 gunas (Ashtakoota) explained
Updated 7 November 2026 · Niluna
Kundli matching, or Guna Milan, compares two birth charts to judge compatibility for marriage. The most common method, Ashtakoota, scores eight factors (kootas) for a total of 36 points. It uses the Moon sign and the Moon nakshatra of both people.
The 8 kootas
| Varna (1) | Values and outlook on work |
|---|---|
| Vashya (2) | Mutual attraction and influence |
| Tara (3) | Shared fortune and wellbeing |
| Yoni (4) | Physical and intimate compatibility |
| Graha Maitri (5) | Friendship between the Moon sign lords |
| Gana (6) | Temperament: Deva, Manushya or Rakshasa |
| Bhakoot (7) | Family life, finances and growth together |
| Nadi (8) | Health and children, traditionally the most weighted |
What score is good?
Traditionally 18 out of 36 is the minimum for a match. Scores from about 25 to 32 are considered very good, and above 32 excellent. A high score does not guarantee a happy marriage, and a lower score can be balanced by other strengths in the two charts.
Doshas worth understanding
- Nadi dosha: both people share the same Nadi (Adi, Madhya or Antya), scoring 0 of 8. Traditions describe several ways it can be cancelled, so it is worth a closer look rather than panic.
- Bhakoot dosha: the two Moon signs sit 2/12, 5/9 or 6/8 from each other, scoring 0 of 7. It is often softened when the sign lords are friends.
- Gana dosha: very different temperaments. In daily life it often means one partner forgives quickly and the other remembers.
- Mangal dosha: Mars in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th or 12th house. Many astrologers also check from the Moon, and consider it balanced when both partners carry it.
A match guides; it does not decide. How two people talk, forgive and grow together matters just as much as any score.