What is horoscope matching?
Horoscope matching - known as kundali matching or guna milan in the north, jataka matching (jathaka porutham) in the south and patrika matching in Maharashtra - is the traditional Vedic way of checking the compatibility of two people before marriage. The most widely used method is the Ashtakoota system, which compares the Moon sign and janma nakshatra of the boy and the girl across eight factors (kootas) and gives a score out of 36 gunas.
Marriage matching by name
No birth details to hand? Traditional astrology has a by-name method for exactly this case. Every nakshatra pada is linked to a starting syllable - the same table families use to choose a baby's name - so the first sound of a name points to a nakshatra and a Moon sign. Switch the form to "By name", type the two names, and the tool derives the rashi and nakshatra for each name and runs the same 36-point Ashtakoota comparison.
Name matching is a good first check, and it is the right method when a person was named by their nakshatra. But many people are not, and a name cannot show the ascendant, Mars or the other planets - so matching by birth details is always more accurate, and the mangal dosha comparison is only available there. If a name's first sound fits more than one syllable, the tool asks you to pick the right one.
The eight kootas and their points
Each koota looks at a different side of married life. Points increase from Varna to Nadi, which reflects the weight tradition gives to each factor.
- Varna (1 point) - outlook and spiritual compatibility.
- Vashya (2 points) - mutual attraction and influence.
- Tara (3 points) - fortune and well-being, from the birth stars.
- Yoni (4 points) - physical and intimate compatibility.
- Graha Maitri (5 points) - friendship between the Moon sign lords; mental compatibility.
- Gana (6 points) - temperament: Deva, Manushya or Rakshasa.
- Bhakoot (7 points) - the relative position of the two Moon signs; family harmony and prosperity.
- Nadi (8 points) - constitution and progeny; carries the highest weight.
How to read the guna milan score
A score of 18 or more out of 36 is traditionally considered acceptable for marriage. This tool groups the total as follows:
- Below 18 - below average. The match needs a careful, detailed look at both charts.
- 18 to 24.5 - average. Acceptable, with some areas that need understanding.
- 25 to 32.5 - good. A well-suited match by traditional standards.
- 33 and above - excellent.
The total is a starting point, not a verdict. Two results deserve separate attention even when the total is high: Nadi dosha (0 out of 8 in Nadi) and Bhakoot dosha (0 out of 7 in Bhakoot). Classical texts list conditions under which these doshas are cancelled - for example when both Moon signs share the same lord - and the result shows whether such a cancellation applies.
Mangal dosha in horoscope matching
Alongside guna milan, families usually compare mangal dosha (manglik status) in the two charts. The traditional view is that the match is balanced when either both partners have mangal dosha or neither has it. The birth-details result shows the status of each partner, the intensity, and whether the two charts are considered compatible on this point. For one chart on its own, use the mangal dosha calculator.
Beyond the score
Guna milan uses only the Moon's position in both charts. It does not look at the ascendant, the seventh house, Venus and Jupiter, or the dashas running at the time of marriage, all of which an experienced astrologer would weigh. Many happy marriages have modest scores, and mutual respect, shared values and communication matter more than any number. Use the score as one helpful input alongside your own judgement and your family's.
Guna milan scores the two Moon charts against each other, which means it says nothing about either chart on its own. If you have not looked at yours yet, the free birth chart gives the lagna, nakshatra and dasha timeline that this score is calculated from.
Frequently asked questions
How many gunas should match for marriage?
Traditionally at least 18 out of 36 gunas should match. 18 to 24 is considered average, 25 to 32 good and 33 or more excellent. A score below 18 is a reason to study both charts in more detail, not an automatic rejection.
Can I do marriage matching by name only?
Yes. Choose "By name" above the form and enter both names. The first syllable of each name is mapped to its nakshatra and Moon sign using the traditional naming-syllable table, and the same Ashtakoota score out of 36 is calculated. It is free and needs no birth details.
Is matching by name as accurate as matching by date of birth?
No. A name gives the right nakshatra only if the person was named according to their birth star. Matching by birth details uses the Moon's actual position and also compares mangal dosha, so use it whenever the birth date, time and place are known.
Can horoscope matching be done without birth time?
Guna milan depends on the Moon's sign and nakshatra, which change slowly, so an approximate time often gives the same score. However, if the Moon changed nakshatra or sign on that day the score can differ, and the mangal dosha check needs the ascendant, which requires an accurate birth time.
What is nadi dosha, and can it be cancelled?
Nadi dosha occurs when both partners have the same nadi (Aadi, Madhya or Antya), giving 0 out of 8 in the Nadi koota. Classical exceptions exist - for instance when both have the same rashi but different nakshatras, or the same nakshatra but different rashis. The result indicates when an exception applies.
Is a low guna milan score a reason to reject a match?
Not by itself. The Ashtakoota score looks only at the Moon. A full compatibility reading also considers the ascendant, seventh house, Venus, Jupiter and the dashas of both people. Treat the score as guidance rather than a final decision.
More free tools
- Birth Chart – North Indian style Vedic birth chart with lagna, rashi, nakshatra, planet positions and dasha timeline.
- Mangal Dosha – Manglik check from lagna, Moon and Venus with intensity and cancellation rules.
- Sade Sati – Is Shani's sade sati running for you? Phase, start and end dates from real Saturn transits.
- Horoscope – Today's horoscope for all 12 signs, plus weekly, monthly and yearly readings - always free.
- AI Astrologer – Chat with an AI astrologer that reads your own Swiss Ephemeris chart - career, marriage, dasha, this year. First 2 answers free.