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36-guna compatibility (Ashtakuta)

Ashtakuta is the classical Vedic compatibility test for a couple, based on the nakshatras and signs of their Moons. Eight kutas add up to a maximum of 36 points (gunas); 18 or more is traditionally acceptable for marriage. But the score is only the first step: a full reading looks at both charts.

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In short

Eight kutas: varna 1, vashya 2, tara 3, yoni 4, graha maitri 5, gana 6, bhakoot 7, nadi 8.
Total out of 36: 18+ is the classical minimum, 24+ good, 32+ excellent.
The heaviest doshas are nadi (0 of 8) and bhakoot (0 of 7).
Scored from both partners' Moons; their nakshatras and padas are needed.
Score tables for all 27 nakshatras are on the nakshatra pages.

The eight kutas

Varna (1 point) — spiritual level by the element of the Moon sign. Vashya (2) — mutual influence and attraction. Tara (3) — how auspicious the nakshatras are for each other (counted from one Moon to the other). Yoni (4) — physical compatibility by the nakshatras' animal symbols. Graha maitri (5) — friendship of the Moon-sign lords, psychological closeness. Gana (6) — temperament: deva, manushya, rakshasa. Bhakoot (7) — the relative position of the Moon signs, tied to wellbeing and children. Nadi (8) — constitution; the same nadi is the heaviest dosha.

Reading the total

Below 18 points marriage is traditionally not recommended; 18–24 is acceptable, 24–32 good, above 32 excellent. But a total can hide a problem: 26 points with nadi dosha is worse than 22 without it. So the breakdown by kuta matters as much as the sum.

Nadi and bhakoot dosha

If both partners share a nadi (both Adi, Madhya or Antya), nadi kuta scores 0 of 8 — nadi dosha, associated with health and progeny. Bhakoot dosha arises when the Moon signs are 2/12, 5/9 or 6/8 from each other. Both have classical cancellations — a shared lord of the Moon signs, for example, or different nakshatras within one sign. JyotiSoft rules on cancellations by the chosen school.

Why the tables show ranges

Some kutas depend not only on the nakshatra but on the sign, and even on the half of the sign, the Moon occupies. So for a pair of nakshatras the score can change from pada to pada. The nakshatra pages show the range for all 27 combinations — separately for the woman and the man, because several kutas are not symmetrical.

What else is checked

A complete couple reading also weighs Mangal dosha for both, the 7th house and its lord, Venus and Jupiter, the navamsha (D9), whether difficult dashas run at the same time for both, and the overall strength of the charts. The gunas are a quick filter, not the final answer.

Questions

How many gunas are needed for marriage?

Traditionally at least 18 of 36. What matters more is the absence of uncancelled nadi and bhakoot dosha and the agreement of both charts overall.

Can compatibility be scored without birth times?

Yes, if both Moon nakshatras are known reliably. A full couple reading needs the times.

Why do different sites give different scores?

Many programs repeat known errors in the tables of popular libraries (tara, vashya, varna, bhakoot). JyotiSoft scores them by the classical rules.

Does Ashtakuta apply to friends or colleagues?

No. It is a marriage system; yoni and nadi are not used for friendship or business.

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