Guna Milan score: what 18, 24 and 32 out of 36 really mean
Ashtakoot Milan gives a marriage match a score out of 36. The number alone decides very little; what matters is which koots earned the points and which lost them.
How the 36 points are divided
Varna carries 1 point, Vashya 2, Tara 3, Yoni 4, Graha Maitri 5, Gana 6, Bhakoot 7 and Nadi 8. Nadi and Bhakoot alone hold 15 of the 36 points, which is why two charts can score 20 and still be read very differently.
Varna, Vashya and Tara describe temperament, influence and general fortune. Yoni and Gana speak about physical and behavioural compatibility. Graha Maitri looks at the friendship of the two Moon lords, the closest thing in the system to mental compatibility.
Reading your score band
Below 18 the classical texts advise a careful look at both charts before proceeding. 18 to 24 is workable, and most real marriages sit in this range. 24 to 32 is considered good, and above 32 is rare and excellent.
A score of 30 with Nadi at zero is weaker than a score of 22 with full Nadi and Bhakoot. Always read the koot table, not just the total.
When a low score is not the end
Nadi dosha is cancelled when both partners share the same rashi with different nakshatras, or the same nakshatra with different padas. Bhakoot dosha is cancelled when the Moon lords are friends or identical.
Beyond Ashtakoot, an experienced reading compares the 7th house, its lord, Venus for a man and Jupiter for a woman, and the dasha periods running for both people. Guna Milan is the first filter, not the verdict.
Common questions
Is 18 gunas enough for marriage?
Yes, 18 out of 36 is the traditional minimum for a workable match, provided Nadi and Bhakoot are not both zero.
Can a 36 out of 36 match fail?
Guna Milan only compares the Moon. A perfect score with badly afflicted 7th houses or clashing dashas can still be a difficult marriage.
Read this in your own chart
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