Guna Milan Calculator
The 36-point Ashtakoot match from Vedic astrology: two Moons, eight kootas, and the reason behind every point.
Tradition reads one partner as the bride and the other as the groom, because Varna and Gana score differently depending on direction. For a same-sex couple, enter either person as Partner A: we read Partner A as the traditional “bride” side. Swapping the two can move the total by a point or two.
Guna Milan, also called Ashtakoot matching, is how Vedic astrology has long compared two people before a marriage. It looks at one thing in each chart, the Moon: which of the 27 nakshatras (lunar mansions) it occupied at birth, which quarter (pada) of that nakshatra, and which sidereal sign (rashi). The two Moons are then compared on eight factors, the kootas, worth 1 to 8 points each, for 36 in all.
Most matching tools hand you a number and ask for your email before they show more. This one is free, runs in your browser, and shows its working: every koota's points, its maximum, and a plain-language reason drawn from your actual Moons.
How it works
For each partner we find the Moon's exact position at the moment of birth, using your birthplace to fix the local time zone (daylight saving included). The Moon's position comes from the same astronomy engine as our full reading, accurate to a few arcseconds against NASA JPL. We convert it to the sidereal zodiac with the Lahiri ayanamsa, the standard in Indian astrology. The eight kootas then follow the classical North Indian point tables:
- Varna (1): the temperament class of each Moon sign; the groom's should rank equal or higher.
- Vashya (2): which of five sign groups (human, quadruped, water, wild, insect) each Moon falls in, and how they get along.
- Tara (3): counting nakshatras from one Moon to the other; the 3rd, 5th and 7th steps of each nine are adverse.
- Yoni (4): each nakshatra's animal; the same animal scores highest, sworn enemies score zero.
- Graha Maitri (5): whether the planets ruling the two Moon signs are friends.
- Gana (6): Deva, Manushya or Rakshasa nature.
- Bhakoot (7): how many signs apart the two Moons sit.
- Nadi (8): one of three constitutions; sharing the same one is the classic Nadi dosha.
Traditional reading of the total: below 18 is not recommended, 18 to 24 is average, 25 to 32 is very good, and 33 to 36 is excellent. When Nadi or Bhakoot scores zero we flag the dosha, and we list the commonly cited exceptions that apply, without quietly changing the score.
What this does not tell you
Guna Milan is one lens, and a narrow one. Astrologers also look at Mangal dosha (Mars placement) and at both full charts, and no score can stand in for how two people actually treat each other. Your birth date and time are processed only in your browser. The birthplace you choose is looked up to find its time zone, and nothing is stored.
Frequently asked
What is Guna Milan?
Guna Milan (Ashtakoot matching) is the traditional Vedic method of comparing two birth charts before marriage. It compares the two Moons, by nakshatra and by sign, across eight factors called kootas: Varna, Vashya, Tara, Yoni, Graha Maitri, Gana, Bhakoot and Nadi. They are worth 1 to 8 points each, 36 in total.
What is a good Guna Milan score?
By the usual convention, below 18 of 36 is traditionally not recommended, 18 to 24 is average and acceptable, 25 to 32 is very good, and 33 to 36 is excellent. Many astrologers put more weight on a zero in Nadi or Bhakoot than on the total itself, and they check Mangal dosha and the full charts before drawing any conclusion.
What are Nadi dosha and Bhakoot dosha, and can they be cancelled?
Nadi dosha means both Moons share the same nadi, which scores 0 of 8. Bhakoot dosha means the Moon signs sit 2/12, 5/9 or 6/8 from each other, which scores 0 of 7. The exceptions most often cited are these. Nadi dosha: the same sign with different nakshatras, the same nakshatra in different signs, or the same nakshatra in different padas. Bhakoot dosha: the two sign lords are the same planet or natural friends. Not every astrologer accepts these, so we list the ones that apply and leave the score unchanged.
Why does my score differ from another Guna Milan calculator?
Usually because of conventions. Published tables disagree in a few places. For Vashya we split Sagittarius and Capricorn at 15°, the classical rule; some software gives each whole sign one group. For Gana we use the common table where a Manushya groom with a Deva bride scores 5 and a Rakshasa groom with a Deva bride scores 1; some tables give Deva–Rakshasa 1 in both directions. For Graha Maitri we use the natural friendships of Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra. Some calculators also add back points when a dosha is cancelled, use a different ayanamsa, or shift the Moon by using a rounded time zone.
Does it matter who is entered as the bride?
A little. Varna and Gana are scored by direction: tradition asks that the groom's Varna rank equal or higher, and Gana gives different points depending on which partner is Deva, Manushya or Rakshasa. Everything else is symmetric. For a same-sex couple there is no classical rule, so we read Partner A as the traditional "bride" side. Swapping the two shows how much the direction matters for your pair.
What if we do not know a birth time?
Leave the time empty. The Moon moves about 13° a day, roughly one nakshatra, so we check it at the start and end of that local day. If it stayed in one nakshatra and sign, the match does not depend on the hour. If it moved into another, we tell you and score every possible combination, each with its own table.
Your Moon is only one part of your chart
Guna Milan reads the nakshatra your Moon occupied. Arcana Origin computes your whole sidereal chart from the same birth moment and reads it alongside the other traditions.
Cast your full reading →