What is guna milan?
Guna milan, also called Ashtakoot matching, is the classical way Vedic astrology compares two people for marriage. It looks at the Moon of each person, the sign it is in and its nakshatra, because the Moon describes the mind, feelings and daily nature.
Eight factors, the kootas, are compared. Each carries a number of points, the gunas, and together they add up to 36. The more gunas a couple shares, the more naturally their temperaments fit.
| Koota | What it measures | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Varna | Temperament and spiritual compatibility | 1 |
| Vashya | Mutual attraction and influence | 2 |
| Tara | Health, fortune and wellbeing together | 3 |
| Yoni | Physical and intimate compatibility | 4 |
| Graha Maitri | Mental wavelength and friendship | 5 |
| Gana | Nature and behaviour | 6 |
| Bhakoot | Love, family welfare and prosperity | 7 |
| Nadi | Health and progeny | 8 |
| Total | 36 | |
What the score means
Below 18 gunas is under the classical minimum. 18 to 24 is acceptable, 25 to 32 is a good match, and 33 or more is excellent and rare.
The total is only a first look. A couple with 30 gunas can still have Nadi dosha, and a couple with 20 can have strong charts that support each other. That is why the kootas are read one by one.
Nadi and Bhakoot dosha
Nadi (8 points) and Bhakoot (7 points) carry the most weight. When either scores zero, it is called Nadi dosha or Bhakoot dosha, and families usually look at these first.
Both have classical exceptions. Nadi dosha is traditionally cancelled when the two share a Moon sign but not a nakshatra, and Bhakoot dosha when the lords of the two Moon signs are friends or the same planet.
Mangal dosha in matching
Mangal dosha (being Manglik) comes from Mars in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th or 12th house. It is checked separately from the gunas, for both people, because it speaks about the temperament Mars brings to married life.
It is often cancelled: Mars in its own or exalted sign, Jupiter’s aspect on Mars, or the same weight of Mangal dosha in both charts. This tool shows the cancellations it finds for each of you.
Why the full report goes further
Guna milan reads only the two Moons. The full Kundali Milan report reads both complete charts: the 7th house and its lord, Venus, the navamsa, the dasha periods you will live through together, and the best timing for marriage.
It explains every koota in plain words, weighs Mangal dosha on both sides with its cancellations, and describes what married life together is likely to feel like.