Vedic astrology glossary
Compatibility — Gun Milan
The eight kootas behind Ashtakoot marriage matching.
Ashtakoot Gun MilanGun Milan, AshtakootAshtakoot Gun Milan is the traditional Vedic method of checking marriage compatibility by comparing two people's Moon nakshatras across eight kootas (factors) for a combined score out of 36 gunas.Varna KootaVarna is the first of the eight Ashtakoot factors, worth 1 guna. It compares the class (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra) of the partners' Moon signs to assess ego and temperament.Vashya KootaVashya is the second Ashtakoot factor, worth 2 gunas. It measures mutual attraction and influence between the partners' Moon signs, grouped into categories like Chatushpada, Manava and Jalachara.Tara KootaDina kootaTara is the third Ashtakoot factor, worth 3 gunas. It counts each partner's birth star from the other's along the nine-fold Navatara cycle to judge health and fortune.Yoni KootaYoni is the fourth Ashtakoot factor, worth 4 gunas. Each nakshatra maps to an animal (Yoni), and the pairing measures physical and instinctive compatibility.Graha Maitri KootaGraha Maitri is the fifth Ashtakoot factor, worth 5 gunas. It compares the lords of the partners' Moon signs to judge mental and intellectual friendship.Gana KootaGana is the sixth Ashtakoot factor, worth 6 gunas. It sorts nakshatras into three temperaments — Deva (divine), Manushya (human) and Rakshasa (demonic) — to assess nature and outlook.Bhakoot DoshaBhakoot dosha occurs in Gun Milan when the partners' Moon signs fall in a 2–12, 5–9 or 6–8 axis, scoring 0 of the 7 points for the Bhakoot koota.Nadi DoshaNadi dosha arises in Gun Milan when both partners share the same Nadi (Aadi, Madhya or Antya), scoring 0 of the 8 points for the Nadi koota — the highest-weighted factor.