How kundli matching works
Kundli matching (Guna Milan, or Ashtakoota) compares the Moon in two birth charts. Each partner's Moon sign and nakshatra are worked out from the date, time and place of birth, and eight factors, the kootas, are scored. Together they add up to 36 points, or gunas.
The eight kootas and their points are Varna 1, Vashya 2, Tara 3, Yoni 4, Graha Maitri 5, Gana 6, Bhakoot 7 and Nadi 8. Varna and Vashya look at temperament and mutual influence, Tara at the nakshatra count between the two Moons, Yoni at instinctive nature, Graha Maitri at the friendship between the two Moon-sign lords, Gana at disposition (deva, manushya or rakshasa), Bhakoot at the distance between the two Moon signs, and Nadi at the constitution tradition assigns to each nakshatra.
Reading the score
By tradition, 18 or more out of 36 is taken as acceptable for marriage, and a higher score as better. The total is only a starting point, though. Three kootas carry the most weight and are reported as doshas when they score zero: Nadi dosha (both Moons in the same nadi), Bhakoot dosha (the Moon signs 2/12, 5/9 or 6/8 apart) and Gana dosha. Classical texts list exceptions for each, such as both Moon signs having the same lord or friendly lords, and the result shows which exceptions apply instead of only a bare zero.
Mangal dosha is checked separately, because it comes from the house Mars occupies, not from the Moons. The result shows both partners' Manglik status side by side. Read more on the Mangal dosha page.
What matching can and cannot tell you
Guna Milan is a quick compatibility screen that families have used for generations. It cannot tell you whether two people will be happy together; that depends on how they treat each other, their values and the effort both of them put in. Many astrologers also read both full charts, the 7th house and the running dasha periods. Your own free Janam Kundli shows all of these in detail.
Frequently asked questions
Can kundli matching be done by date of birth only?
The date gives the Moon's sign and usually its nakshatra. But the Moon moves about 13 degrees a day, so its nakshatra, and sometimes its sign, can change during the day of birth. Add the time and place if you know them. If a time is unknown, tick “Time of birth not known”, choose roughly when, and check again once you find the exact time.
Is a score below 18 a reason to call off a marriage?
No. A low score is a reason to look more closely, not a verdict. Check whether a dosha exception applies, and remember that the score compares only the two Moons.
What is Nadi dosha?
Each of the 27 nakshatras belongs to one of three nadis: Adi, Madhya or Antya. When both partners' Moons fall in the same nadi, the Nadi koota scores 0 out of 8. Tradition gives exceptions, for example when the two Moons share a sign but sit in different nakshatras.
Does the calculator use AI or keep our details?
No AI is involved: the score is computed with Swiss Ephemeris and the classical tables. Birth details are used for the calculation and not stored. See the privacy notice.