Ashtakoot Gun Milan
Discover marriage compatibility through the time-honored 36-point Ashtakoot system.
The Eight Koots
Spiritual compatibility (1 point)
Mutual attraction (2 points)
Health & longevity (3 points)
Physical compatibility (4 points)
Mental compatibility (5 points)
Temperament (6 points)
Love & affection (7 points)
Health & progeny (8 points) *Critical
Calculating Gun Milan (8 Koots)
Understanding Gun Milan
Ashtakoota Milan — "matching by eight groups" — is the compatibility method used across most of northern India. It compares the birth Moon of each partner across eight factors, each carrying a different weight, for a maximum of 36 points. It is worth understanding what the score does and does not claim: it is a traditional index built almost entirely from the Moon, not an assessment of two personalities.
All eight kootas are computed from the Moon's sign and nakshatra in each chart. Nothing else — not the ascendant, not Venus, not the 7th house — enters the 36 points.
That is why an accurate birth time matters less here than for a full chart reading, but also why a high score alone is a narrow verdict. Experienced astrologers read Gun Milan alongside the 7th house, its lord, and the condition of Venus and Jupiter.
Below 18 is conventionally regarded as insufficient; 18 to 24 acceptable; 25 to 32 good; and above 32 excellent. Very few real pairings score a perfect 36. Half points occur legitimately — Graha Maitri awards 0.5 where one lord is an enemy and the other neutral — so a total of 28.5 is normal, not a rounding error.
Nadi alone is worth 8 points and Bhakoot 7, so together they are nearly half the total. A Nadi dosha, where both partners share the same nadi, is the most commonly cited objection in traditional matching, and classical texts describe several conditions under which it is considered cancelled.
Mangal (or Kuja) dosha is assessed separately from the 36 points. It arises when Mars occupies the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th or 12th house, counted from the ascendant, the Moon or Venus depending on the tradition followed.
Classical practice holds that the dosha is neutralised when both partners have it, and several other cancellations are recognised. It is a factor to weigh, not a verdict.
Gun Milan says nothing about whether two people communicate well, share values, or want the same life. It is one traditional input among many, and it should never be the sole basis for a decision about a relationship.
Ashtakoota is the northern method. In much of southern India, Dashakoota — a ten-factor system — is preferred, and its weightings differ. Neither is more correct; they are different regional traditions, and a match may score differently under each.
Each koota tests a different dimension of compatibility, and the points are not evenly distributed — Nadi and Bhakoot together account for 15 of the 36.
| Koota | Points | What it compares |
|---|---|---|
| Varna | 1 | Spiritual disposition and temperament, derived from the Moon sign |
| Vashya | 2 | Mutual attraction and natural influence between the partners |
| Tara | 3 | Birth-star compatibility, indicating fortune and health in the union |
| Yoni | 4 | Physical and instinctive compatibility, by nakshatra animal symbol |
| Graha Maitri | 5 | Friendship between the lords of the two Moon signs — mental affinity |
| Gana | 6 | Temperament group: deva, manushya or rakshasa |
| Bhakoot | 7 | Relative position of the two Moon signs; affects prosperity and family |
| Nadi | 8 | Constitutional type; the heaviest single factor and the usual objection |