Gun Milan scores marital compatibility out of 36 points across eight kootas. Learn what each koota measures and how the score is read.
Ashtakoota Gun Milan is the traditional North Indian method of matching horoscopes for marriage. It compares the birth nakshatras and Moon signs of the prospective bride and groom across eight factors, called kootas, awarding a total of up to 36 points (guna).
The resulting score gives a quick measure of compatibility, though it is only one part of a full marriage analysis.
The eight kootas and their maximum points are: Varna (1) for spiritual compatibility and ego, Vashya (2) for mutual attraction and control, Tara (3) for health and well-being, Yoni (4) for physical and sexual compatibility, Graha Maitri (5) for mental and intellectual rapport, Gana (6) for temperament, Bhakoot (7) for emotional bonding and family welfare, and Nadi (8) for health and progeny.
Each koota examines a different layer of the relationship, from the spiritual to the physical, building a rounded picture of the match.
A total below 18 is traditionally considered a weak match, 18 to 24 is acceptable, 25 to 32 is very good, and above 32 is excellent. However, the raw number is not the whole story.
Two kootas carry special weight: Bhakoot and Nadi. A Nadi dosha (both partners in the same Nadi) or certain Bhakoot doshas can pull down an otherwise high score, while specific cancellations can neutralise these doshas. A wise astrologer reads which points were lost, not just the total.
Gun Milan is a starting filter, not a verdict. The full charts of both partners — especially the seventh house, its lord, Venus and Jupiter, the Mangal Dosha status and the Navamsa — must be compared for a true assessment of married life.
Many happy marriages have modest guna scores, and some high scores hide deeper chart incompatibilities. The number opens the conversation; the charts complete it.
The Ashtakoota system awards up to 36 points across eight kootas; 18 or above is generally considered an acceptable match.
Bhakoot and Nadi carry special weight, since doshas in these can reduce an otherwise high score unless they are cancelled.
No. The full charts, the seventh house, Mangal Dosha and the Navamsa must all be examined beyond the points.
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