Know all about Kundli Matching
Kundli matching, also called Guna Milan, is Vedic astrology's way of checking marriage compatibility. It scores two people out of 36 across the 8 Ashtakoot kootas, from their Moon nakshatra and rashi, and above 18 gunas is considered acceptable. But guna milan is only a surface score. The real compatibility comes from matching both full charts, their dashas and doshas together.
Gunas are the start, not the full match
36 gunas are a quick check, and two very different charts can still score high. Real compatibility needs both full charts, the 7th house, Navamsa, dashas and doshas read together. This deeper match is what Niyati's AI astrologer does.
Get a full match from NiyatiWhat is kundli matching?
Kundli matching is Vedic astrology's system for checking marriage compatibility, also called Guna Milan or Ashtakoot Milan. It scores two people out of 36 based on their Moon nakshatra and rashi. More gunas indicate better harmony.
Traditionally it is done before marriage, to check the harmony of temperament, health, attraction and family life between two people. But gunas are a starting score, and the full decision comes from reading the whole chart.
How the 36 gunas are made: the 8 kootas
The 8 Ashtakoot kootas each look at a different aspect, and their maximum points add up to 36.
| Koota | Points | What it checks |
|---|---|---|
| Varna | 1 | Spiritual compatibility and ego level. |
| Vashya | 2 | Mutual attraction and influence. |
| Tara | 3 | Health and fortune, from the birth star. |
| Yoni | 4 | Physical compatibility. |
| Graha Maitri | 5 | Mental and intellectual compatibility. |
| Gana | 6 | Temperament: Deva, Manushya or Rakshasa. |
| Bhakoot | 7 | Love, emotions and family. |
| Nadi | 8 | Health and progeny. |
How many gunas are needed for marriage?
The more gunas, the better the harmony. A rough guide:
| Gunas | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Below 18 | Weak compatibility, not recommended on its own. |
| 18 to 24 | Acceptable, an average match. |
| 25 to 32 | A good match. |
| 33 to 36 | An excellent match. |
18 gunas is generally taken as the minimum. But even with fewer gunas, if the doshas and full charts are fine the match can work, so do not decide on gunas alone.
Doshas in matching: Nadi, Bhakoot and Manglik
Nadi and Bhakoot dosha are part of the matching. Nadi dosha occurs when both share the same Nadi, giving 0 gunas in the Nadi koota, and it is considered important for health and progeny. Bhakoot dosha occurs for certain sign positions, giving 0 gunas in Bhakoot. Both can be cancelled in some cases.
Manglik (Mangal dosha) sits outside the 36 gunas. It comes from Mars's house placement in each chart and is compared separately between the two charts.
Gunas are not enough: full chart matching
Guna milan is a quick score based only on the Moon's nakshatra and rashi. Two quite different charts can still score high gunas, so gunas alone do not tell the full story.
For deeper matching, both full charts are read, such as the 7th house and its lord, Venus and Mars, the Navamsa (D9), and both dashas. This is what shows the real compatibility and the timing of marriage.
Matching without birth details
If the birth time is not known, the first syllable of each name can give a nakshatra and rashi, for an indicative guna milan. It is an estimate, not a confirmed result.
How to match your kundli
A confirmed match needs both people's birth details: date, time and place.
Free marriage tools
Kundli Matching
A full 36-guna match from two people's birth details, with dosha checks.
Match nowKundli Matching by Name
When the birth time is unknown, an indicative guna match from names.
Match by nameManglik Calculator
Whether you are manglik, the dosha's intensity and any cancellation.
Check nowWhen will I get married?
Which houses and planets decide marriage timing, and how to check your own chart.
Read the guideWhat is Manglik dosha?
How Manglik dosha forms, when it cancels, and whether it really matters.
Read the guideMarriage Astrology
Kundli matching, Manglik and marriage timing, all in one place.
Open the hubKundli matching, frequently asked questions
Above 18 gunas is generally acceptable, 25 to 32 is good, and 33 to 36 is an excellent match. Below 18 is considered weak compatibility.
The 8 Ashtakoot kootas are Varna (1), Vashya (2), Tara (3), Yoni (4), Graha Maitri (5), Gana (6), Bhakoot (7) and Nadi (8). Their maximum points add up to 36, and each checks a different aspect, such as temperament, attraction, health or family.
Nadi dosha occurs when both share the same Nadi, giving 0 gunas in the Nadi koota. It is considered important for health and progeny, but in some cases it is cancelled, and then it is not held against the match.
No. Manglik (Mangal dosha) is not part of the 36 gunas. It comes from Mars's house placement in each chart and is compared separately between the two charts.
No. Guna milan is a good start, but for the real picture you need both full charts, dashas and planetary placements. Niyati's AI astrologer can do this deeper analysis.
Want a full match of your charts?
36 gunas are a start. Niyati's AI astrologer reads both full charts, dashas and doshas to tell you how the match really looks.
Talk to Niyati