Guna Milan: How Many Gunas Should Match for Marriage?
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Guna milan (also called Ashtakoot milan or 36 gun milan) is the traditional Vedic method of checking marriage compatibility. It compares the Moon sign and nakshatra of the bride and groom across eight kootas, which together carry 36 points (gunas). The higher the score, the better the match is considered.
The short answer to the most common question: at least 18 out of 36 gunas should match. Below is what each koota means, how to read your score, and what to check besides the total.
The 8 kootas and their points
| Koota | Points | What it checks |
|---|---|---|
| Varna | 1 | Temperament and spiritual outlook, from the Moon sign |
| Vashya | 2 | Mutual attraction and who influences whom |
| Tara | 3 | Health and fortune, from the distance between nakshatras |
| Yoni | 4 | Physical and intimate compatibility (each nakshatra has an animal) |
| Graha Maitri | 5 | Friendship between the lords of the two Moon signs |
| Gana | 6 | Nature: Deva (gentle), Manushya (human) or Rakshasa (intense) |
| Bhakoot | 7 | Family welfare and finances, from the distance between Moon signs |
| Nadi | 8 | Health and children, from the nakshatra’s nadi |
| Total | 36 |
Notice that the kootas get heavier as you go down. Bhakoot and Nadi alone carry 15 of the 36 points, which is why a Bhakoot or Nadi dosha can pull an otherwise good match below 18.
How many gunas should match for marriage?
| Score | What it means | How our tool labels it |
|---|---|---|
| Below 18 | Not recommended traditionally | Not recommended |
| 18 to 21 | Acceptable, average match | Average |
| 22 to 27 | Good match | Good |
| 28 to 36 | Excellent match | Excellent |
A higher score is better, but the total is only the start. Two couples with 24 gunas can be very different matches depending on where the points were lost.
What to check besides the total
1. Nadi dosha (0 of 8 in Nadi). Both partners have the same nadi. Tradition treats this as serious, but there are well-known cancellations. Read our full guide to Nadi dosha.
2. Bhakoot dosha (0 of 7 in Bhakoot). The Moon signs sit 2-12, 5-9 or 6-8 from each other. The 6-8 combination (shadashtak) is considered the hardest. It is cancelled when both Moon signs have the same lord or friendly lords.
3. Gana dosha. A Rakshasa-Manushya pairing scores 0 of 6, often read as a clash in temperament.
4. Mangal dosha. Not part of the 36 gunas at all, but almost every family checks it separately. See Manglik dosha and its cancellation.
5. The rest of the chart. The 7th house, Venus, Jupiter and the current dasha say far more about married life than the Moon alone. Guna milan was designed as a first filter, not a full analysis.
How to do guna milan online
- Open our free Kundli matching tool.
- Enter the boy’s and girl’s date, time and place of birth. If you don’t have birth details, switch to “By name only”.
- You get the 36-guna score, a koota-by-koota table, and flags for Nadi, Bhakoot and Mangal dosha.
Guna milan by name
Matching by name uses the first syllable of each name to find a nakshatra and pada, the same way a name is traditionally chosen at birth. It is quick and works when birth time is lost, but it is only as good as the link between the name and the real birth star. Our rashi by name chart shows every syllable.
Example: reading a score
Say a couple scores 24.5 out of 36: Varna 1, Vashya 2, Tara 1.5, Yoni 2, Graha Maitri 4, Gana 6, Bhakoot 0, Nadi 8. (Half points are normal in Tara and Graha Maitri.) The total is “good”, but Bhakoot is 0. The next step is to check whether the two Moon-sign lords are the same or friends, which cancels Bhakoot dosha. If they are, the match is stronger than the number suggests.
That is the right way to use guna milan: read the total, then read the kootas.
Frequently asked questions
How many gunas should match for marriage?
Traditionally at least 18 out of 36 gunas. 18 to 21 is average, 22 to 27 is good, and 28 or more is excellent. Astrologers also check Nadi, Bhakoot and Mangal dosha rather than relying on the total alone.
Is 36 out of 36 gunas possible?
It is very rare. Some combinations, such as the same nakshatra in the same rashi, score high on most kootas but get 0 for Nadi. A perfect 36 needs every koota to line up, which almost never happens.
Is a score below 18 always rejected?
Traditionally, yes, a score under 18 is not recommended. In practice some astrologers look further, because a low total can come from one koota such as Bhakoot that may be cancelled by other rules.
Can guna milan be done by name?
Yes. When birth time is unknown, the first syllable of each name gives a nakshatra and rashi, and the 36-guna score is calculated from those. It is less precise than matching by date of birth and cannot check Mangal dosha.
Astrology is a traditional belief system. This article is for guidance and general information, not medical, legal or financial advice.