What does your Guna Milan score out of 36 mean? 18, 24, 28, 29.5 and 31.5 explained, honestly

What is Guna Milan, in plain words?

Guna Milan (also called Ashtakoota, which means 'eight parts', or kundli matching) is the best-known way to compare two people in Vedic astrology, the traditional astrology of India. It looks at each person's Moon sign and birth star (nakshatra, one of 27 small sections of the sky the Moon passes through).

It checks eight parts, called kootas, and gives each one points. Added together, the eight parts make up to 36 points. We go through each part in detail in kundli matching: 36 points explained. Here is the short version:

• Varna (1 point): how your temperaments and working styles fit.
• Vashya (2 points): natural pull and who tends to lead.
• Tara (3 points): how your birth stars support each other.
• Yoni (4 points): instinct and physical closeness.
• Graha Maitri (5 points): friendship between the planets that rule your two Moon signs, a sign of everyday understanding.
• Gana (6 points): basic nature: gentle, human or fiery.
• Bhakoot (7 points): how far apart your Moon signs sit, linked with family life and shared money.
• Nadi (8 points): the heaviest part, traditionally linked with health and children.

What do the score bands mean?

These are the common traditional bands. Different astrologers draw the lines slightly differently.

• Below 18: traditionally not recommended without a closer look at both full charts.
• 18 to 24: acceptable.
• 25 to 32: very good.
• 33 to 36: excellent, and quite rare.

Why do some scores have half points, like 29.5 or 31.5?

Three of the eight parts can give part marks. Tara gives 1.5 points for each direction your birth stars are counted, so a couple can get 0, 1.5 or 3. Vashya can give half a point, and Graha Maitri can give half a point when one Moon sign ruler sees the other as an enemy and the other is neutral. That is where the .5 comes from. A half point is not a sign of anything special; it is just how the tables work.

What does each common score mean?

Here is what the scores people search for most often usually mean. Every example is one possible breakdown; your own may be different.

• 18 out of 36: the traditional pass mark. It is acceptable, not a warning. Look at where the points came from: 18 with full points in Graha Maitri and Bhakoot can be a better everyday match than 24 with zero in both.
• 24 out of 36: acceptable, near the top of the band. Many happy couples sit here. A common way to reach 24 is to lose Bhakoot (7) and most of Gana (5), so check those two parts.
• 28 out of 36: very good. But notice: 36 minus 8 is 28, so a couple can score 28 with a zero in Nadi, the part people worry about most. Always look at the breakdown, and at whether a traditional cancellation applies.
• 29.5 out of 36: very good. The half point usually comes from Tara (1.5 out of 3). For example, losing half of Tara and most of Gana gives exactly 29.5.
• 31.5 out of 36: very good, close to excellent. It usually means only small losses, for example half of Tara, part of Yoni and Varna.
• 33 or more: excellent and rare. A great start, but it still says nothing about the rest of your charts or the life chapter each of you is in.

Is a score ever a verdict on a relationship?

No. The score is built only from your two Moons. It does not look at each person's 7th house (the house of partnership), Venus (love), Mars (energy and temper) or the dashas, the life chapters each of you is moving through. A couple with 31.5 can meet in a hard chapter. A couple with 20 can bring out the best in each other for life.

You may also hear about Mangal dosha (sometimes called being 'manglik'), which looks at where Mars sits. It is common: many people have it in some form, traditions disagree on how to count it, and there are many recognised exceptions. It is something to look at calmly in the full charts, never a reason for fear. If anyone uses a score or a dosha to frighten you and then sells you a fix, walk away.

Traditions also allow cancellations. For example, a zero in Nadi or Bhakoot is often treated as cancelled in certain situations, such as when both Moon signs share the same ruling planet. Traditions differ on the details, which is one more reason the total alone should never decide anything.

Can I check our score for free?

Our free compatibility check shows how your two Vedic Moon signs meet, in about a minute. It does not give the full 36-point score. For the score with all eight parts, any cancellations, and both full charts read side by side (the 7th house, Venus, Mars and the chapter each of you is in), a Love Match reading is made for exactly that.

Not sure of your Moon sign or birth star? Find them free. For love in your own chart first, read what your birth chart says about your love life.