In kundli matching, the 36 gunas are compatibility points awarded across 8 tests, called kootas, that compare the Moon placements of two charts. A score of 18 or above is traditionally considered acceptable for marriage, 25 to 32 is very good, and the two heaviest tests, Nadi and Bhakoot, come with their own cancellation rules that a raw score never shows.
This system is called Ashtakoota guna milan, and it is the backbone of North Indian match-making. Here is what the points actually measure.
The 8 kootas and their points
| Koota | Points | What it compares |
|---|---|---|
| Varna | 1 | Temperament and ego compatibility, spiritual disposition |
| Vashya | 2 | Mutual influence and attraction between the pair |
| Tara | 3 | Birth star compatibility, health and fortune of the couple |
| Yoni | 4 | Physical and instinctive compatibility |
| Graha Maitri | 5 | Friendship between the Moon sign lords, mental wavelength |
| Gana | 6 | Nature match, deva, manushya or rakshasa temperament |
| Bhakoot | 7 | Moon sign distance, emotional harmony and family life |
| Nadi | 8 | Constitution, health and progeny compatibility |
Total: 36. Each koota gives either full points, partial points or zero depending on how the two Moons relate.
What the score means
- Below 18: the match needs a deeper look. Not a rejection, a prompt for analysis.
- 18 to 24: acceptable, the traditional minimum band.
- 25 to 32: very good compatibility.
- 33 to 36: excellent, and quite rare.
Notice the weighting. Varna and Vashya together are worth 3 points, while Nadi alone is worth 8. The system deliberately cares more about health, progeny and emotional rhythm than about surface temperament. This is also why a middling score with full Nadi and Bhakoot points is usually preferred over a high score that fails those two.
You can get your full koota-by-koota breakdown in the free kundli matching tool.
Nadi dosha and its cancellations
When both partners have the same Nadi (Adi, Madhya or Antya), Nadi koota scores zero and the match is said to carry Nadi dosha. Because 8 points vanish at once, this single test can pull a match below 18 on its own. But the tradition that created the dosha also lists its cancellations:
- Both partners have the same rashi but different nakshatras.
- Both have the same nakshatra but different rashis.
- Both share the same nakshatra but are born in different padas (quarters).
- Some schools add a strong Jupiter influence on both Moons as a mitigation.
A calculator can only report the zero. Whether the dosha actually applies to you needs the nakshatra, rashi and pada details read together, which is a two-minute job for an astrologer and a common source of unnecessary worry otherwise.
Bhakoot dosha, the other heavy test
Bhakoot scores zero when the two Moon signs sit in certain distances from each other: 2/12 (linked to finances), 6/8 (linked to health and friction) and 5/9 (linked to children, in some traditions). Its main cancellations: the two Moon sign lords being the same planet (for example both Moons ruled by Mars), or the lords being natural friends. Again, the dosha is a starting point for analysis, not a conclusion.
Why the 7th house matters beyond the score
Here is the honest limitation of guna milan: it compares only the two Moons. It does not look at the 7th house of either chart, the house that actually governs marriage, nor at Venus, Mars, the 7th lord, or the dashas either person is running. Two charts can score 32 while both have afflicted 7th houses, and two charts can score 19 while both have strong, well-aspected marriage houses supported by Venus and Jupiter. Practicing astrologers therefore treat the guna score as a first filter and the 7th house analysis, mangal dosha check and dasha comparison as the real matching.
Reading your match calmly
A guna score is a placement to understand, not a verdict on a relationship. Run the numbers, note which kootas gave and which withheld points, check the cancellations before accepting any dosha, and then look at the marriage houses themselves. If you would like all of that walked through live, you can talk to a guru at AstroLagnam in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi or English, and the first 3 minutes are free. The score starts the conversation; the charts finish it.