In Nepal and across North India, one of the first questions after a marriage proposal is simple: “Kati guna milyo?” — how many gunas matched? Families share the number like a cricket score: 28 is celebrated, 16 causes worry.
Having read Kundli matches for more than ten years, I can tell you the number matters — but not in the way most people think. This guide explains what the 36 gunas actually measure, how to read the score, and what to look at beyond it.
How guna milan works
The traditional method is called Ashtakoot (“eight parts”). It compares the Moon in the two birth charts: the nakshatra (birth star) and rashi (Moon sign) of the bride and the groom. Each of the eight kootas looks at one side of married life and carries a fixed number of points. Together they add up to 36.
Because everything comes from the Moon, you need an accurate date, time and place of birth for both people. The Moon changes nakshatra roughly every day, so even the birth time matters.
The eight kootas
| Koota | Points | What it looks at |
|---|---|---|
| Varna | 1 | Outlook on work, duty and spiritual life |
| Vashya | 2 | Mutual attraction and who influences whom |
| Tara | 3 | Well-being and fortune, counted between the two birth stars |
| Yoni | 4 | Physical and intimate compatibility, shown by 14 animal natures |
| Graha Maitri | 5 | Friendship between the two Moon-sign lords: mental wavelength |
| Gana | 6 | Temperament: Deva (gentle), Manushya (human), Rakshasa (intense) |
| Bhakoot | 7 | The distance between the two Moon signs: family welfare and prosperity |
| Nadi | 8 | Constitution, health and children |
Notice how the points rise from Varna to Nadi. The tradition gives the most weight to the kootas that affect health, family and the next generation.
What is a good score?
The commonly quoted minimum is 18 out of 36. A widely used guideline reads the score like this:
- 31–36: excellent, a rare match.
- 21–30: very good; most families happily go ahead.
- 17–20: average; workable, with areas that need care.
- Below 17: not recommended by the count alone.
When Bhakoot does not match, those bands shift down, because seven points are already missing. A score of 25 without Bhakoot can still be a very good match.
The doshas that matter more than the number
Nadi dosha. When both people share the same nadi (Adi, Madhya or Antya), Nadi scores zero. Because it carries 8 points and relates to health and children, families treat it seriously. Traditional texts also give cancellations — for example, when both have the same rashi but different nakshatras, or the same nakshatra but different rashis.
Bhakoot dosha. When the two Moon signs fall 2 and 12, 5 and 9, or 6 and 8 places from each other, Bhakoot scores zero. It is commonly cancelled when the lords of the two signs are the same planet or natural friends.
Gana dosha. A Deva and a Rakshasa gana can score zero. In practice this is softened when Graha Maitri and Bhakoot are good.
This is why a 26 with Nadi dosha can be more worrying than a 19 without any dosha — and why I never judge a match by the total alone.
Manglik dosha
Separate from the 36 gunas, families also check Mangal dosha: Mars placed in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th or 12th house. When both partners are Manglik, tradition considers it balanced. When only one is, the chart is checked for cancellations. I have written a separate guide to Manglik dosha because it causes so much unnecessary fear.
What guna milan cannot tell you
Ashtakoot looks only at the Moon. A marriage involves the whole chart. In a full matching I also look at:
- The 7th house and its lord in both charts — the house of marriage itself.
- Venus (and, for the bride, Jupiter) — love, harmony and the husband’s support.
- The Navamsa (D9) chart, the divisional chart read specifically for marriage.
- Dashas — whether both partners enter supportive periods after the wedding.
- Health, finances and family indicators in each chart.
A couple can have 30 gunas and 7th houses that need real care, while another couple with 17 gunas has charts that support each other beautifully. The score is a starting point, not a verdict.
How I do a Kundli Milan
- I prepare both Kundlis from the exact birth details.
- I calculate the 36 gunas and check every dosha and its cancellations.
- I read both 7th houses, Venus, Jupiter, the Navamsa and the coming dashas.
- I give both families a clear written summary — strengths, cautions, a good time window for the wedding and simple remedies if they are needed.
Try it yourself
You can see your 36-guna score, all eight kootas and both partners’ Manglik status with the free Kundli Milan on this site. It takes a minute and nothing is stored.
If the score or a dosha worries you, do not decide on the number alone. Book a full matching reading and let us look at both charts together.