Low guna score in kundli matching: talk to an astrologer about what it means
A low guna score is a total, and most astrologers want to see which of the eight kootas lost the points before they say anything about the match.
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Our kundli matching came out at 16 out of 36 and the family is upset. Does a low guna score mean we should not marry?
A total of 16 needs a closer look before anyone decides. Please share both birth dates, times and places. I first check which kootas lost points, then whether an exception applies, then both 7th houses.
Short answer
A low guna score, or low gun milan, usually means a 36-point ashtakoot match under 18 points. Muhurta Chintamani only says a higher total is better 1, and about 29% of all possible Moon pairs score under 18 by the standard tables. Astrologers check which kootas lost points, the exceptions, and both full charts. On Kismo, verified Vedic astrologers read the whole match by chat or call, online from anywhere.
What are the key facts about low guna score?
| Answer | |
|---|---|
| What it is | A guna milan (ashtakoot) total out of 36, usually under 18, from the Moon positions of both partners 1 |
| Other names | Low gun milan, low guna matching, kam gun milan, kundli not matching, गुण मिलान कम |
| How common | 29.4% of all 11,664 possible Moon-quarter pairs score below 18 (calculated, method below) |
| What an astrologer checks | Which of the eight kootas lost points, nadi and bhakoot exceptions, then each partner's 7th house and running dasha |
| What can soften it | A nadi or bhakoot exception named in Muhurta Chintamani ch. 6 1, or strong 7th houses in both charts |
| What to bring | Both birth dates, exact birth times and birth places, plus the score report you already have |
| Session on Kismo | From ₹15 a minute, 5 free minutes in the first session, online from anywhere in India and abroad |
What does an astrologer check when the guna score is low?
- The eight kootas one by one. Varna, vashya, tara, yoni, graha maitri, gana, bhakoot and nadi carry 1 to 8 points each, 36 in all, so the astrologer notes where the points went 1.
- Nadi and bhakoot first. These two carry 15 of the 36 points 1, and Drik Panchang's tutorial says nadi is given the highest priority in matching 2.
- The exceptions. Muhurta Chintamani lifts bhakoot dosha when both Moon signs share a lord or the lords are friends, and lifts nadi dosha in three named cases 1.
- Both birth times. The score comes from each person's Moon nakshatra and sign, and a few hours of error can move the Moon into the next quarter of a nakshatra.
- Each chart on its own. Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra judges the spouse from the 7th house 7, so most astrologers read both 7th houses before trusting any total.
- The direction of the match. Some kootas score the boy against the girl, so an astrologer checks the report was not made the wrong way round.
Which situation is yours?
- Guna Milan Below 18: What an Astrologer Checks
Below 18, most low totals come from nadi and bhakoot together, so the reading turns on whether an exception lifts either one.
- 18 Gunas Matched: Is It Good for Marriage?
At exactly 18 the match sits on the line, and a small birth-time error or a different school's bands can tip it either way.
- Guna Milan 18 to 24: Good Enough for Marriage?
Between 18 and 24 the total passes, so the question becomes which smaller kootas lost points and whether that matters for this couple.
- High Guna Score but Nadi or Bhakoot Dosha?
A high total with nadi or bhakoot dosha is read more strictly by many astrologers, whatever the number says.
- Low Guna Score in a Love Marriage: Ask an Astrologer
In a love marriage the couple has already chosen, so the score is read for understanding and timing, not as a yes or no.
What guna score do most couples get?
Most couples get a guna score near 21 out of 36. Every pair of Moon positions was scored: 108 Moon quarters (padas) for the boy times 108 for the girl, 11,664 pairs, each equally likely, with the standard ashtakoota tables.
| Calculated fact | Result |
|---|---|
| Average score of all pairs | 20.9 of 36 |
| Middle (median) score | 21 of 36 |
| Pairs below 18 | 29.4% |
| Pairs below 12 | 6.9% |
| Lowest and highest possible score | 2.5 and 36 |
| Pairs whose score changes if boy and girl are entered the wrong way round | 72.7% |
| Pairs where that swap moves the score across 18 | 4.3% |
The swap rows matter because varna, vashya, yoni and gana score the boy against the girl, not both ways. A report made with the names in the wrong boxes can show a different total.
Which classical text says a guna score below 18 is too low?
No classical text we found sets 18 as a pass mark. Muhurta Chintamani, chapter 6, verse 21, lists the eight kootas with 1 to 8 points, 36 in all, and says only that more points are better 1.
The 18 line appears in modern manuals and software. A 2020 survey paper says a minimum of 18 is recommended in general, citing a modern guide to Vedic astrology 5. Drik Panchang does not use 18 at all: it calls 0 to 16 inauspicious and 17 to 20 middling 2.
South India often matches without a 36-point total. Prasna Marga, chapter 21, lists up to 23 items judged from the birth stars and names five as essential, with no points attached 3. B. V. Raman's Muhurtha calls nadi the most important kuta 4.
| Text or school | How a match is scored | Is there a minimum? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muhurta Chintamani 6.21 | Eight kootas, 1 to 8 points, 36 in all | No, more is simply better | 1 |
| Drik Panchang tutorial | Same 36 points, read in bands | 0 to 16 inauspicious; stricter when bhakoot or nadi fails | 2 |
| Prasna Marga ch. 21 (Kerala) | Up to 23 items, five essential | No points used | 3 |
| B. V. Raman, Muhurtha (1948) | South Indian kutas with units | Nadi treated as decisive | 4 |
| Modern manuals and apps | 36 points | 18 of 36, by convention | 5 |
So the familiar rule of 18 is a convention built on the classical table, not a line drawn by the table itself. Astrologers who follow Drik's bands and those who follow 18 can read the same 17 differently 2.
How many couples get a guna score below 18?
About three couples in ten get a guna score below 18 by chance alone. That is the share of all 11,664 Moon-quarter pairs that score under 18 with the standard tables, calculated for this page.
| Score band | Share of all pairs | How Drik Panchang reads it [2] |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 16 | 22.6% | Inauspicious |
| 17 to 20 | 21.1% | Middling |
| 21 to 30 | 49.1% | Very good |
| 31 to 36 | 2.8% | Excellent |
Hard evidence on how such couples fare is thin. A 2020 survey of 19 married couples in the International Journal of Scientific Research found 13 reporting incompatibility, 4 of them divorced 5. Its author called the link with gana and bhakoot scores marginal and asked for more research 5.
Courts have also met the low score. In February 2026 the Delhi High Court refused bail to a man who ended a relationship over non-matching kundlis after promising marriage, in Jayant Vats v State 6. The court said such a refusal can attract the offence of sex on a false promise of marriage 6.
Which rules can cancel the dosha behind a low guna score?
Muhurta Chintamani names exceptions for the two kootas that cost a match the most points, bhakoot and nadi 1. Not every astrologer accepts every exception, and Prasna Marga records old authorities disagreeing on which sign distances to reject 3.
| Exception | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bhakoot, same lord | Both Moon signs ruled by one planet, such as Aries and Scorpio | 1 |
| Bhakoot, friendly lords | The two Moon-sign lords are friends, with nadi and nakshatra clean | 1 |
| Nadi, same sign | Same Moon sign but different nakshatras | 1 |
| Nadi, same star | Same nakshatra but different Moon signs | 1 |
| Nadi, different quarter | Same nakshatra, born in different padas | 1 |
| Nadi with rasi and rajju | Ignored when rasi and rajju kutas agree and one planet rules both Moon signs | 4 |
An exception removes the dosha's weight in the reading, but most score reports still print the original total. That is why two astrologers can look at the same 15 and reach different views.
What should we check before rejecting a match for a low guna score?
- Confirm both birth times with a birth certificate or hospital record, since the score rests on the Moon's quarter.
- Make sure the report put the boy and the girl in the right boxes.
- Ask which kootas lost points, and whether nadi or bhakoot is among them.
- Ask whether an exception from Muhurta Chintamani applies, and which school the astrologer follows.
- Ask for a reading of both 7th houses and both current dashas, not the total alone.
- Get a second opinion before paying for any ritual, and remember that no reading can promise how a marriage turns out.
What do people get wrong about this?
Belief: The classical texts forbid marriage below 18 gunas.
Muhurta Chintamani 6.21 gives the 36-point table and says only that more is better 1. The 18 mark comes from later manuals 5, and Drik Panchang draws its own line at 16 2.
Belief: A low guna score is rare, so it must be serious.
About 29% of all Moon-quarter pairs score below 18 with the standard tables, calculated for this page. A low total is common enough that astrologers look at where the points went.
Belief: Every South Indian match is also scored out of 36.
Prasna Marga, the Kerala text, judges up to 23 items from the birth stars and gives them no points at all 3.
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Which astrologers can I talk to about low guna score?
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- Log in on kismo.app or get the app from Google Play.
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- Share your date, time and place of birth.
- Ask by chat or call. The first session carries 5 free minutes, then each minute is billed from your wallet.
Questions worth asking in the session
- Which kootas lost points in our match, and how many?
- Do we have nadi dosha or bhakoot dosha, and does an exception apply?
- Was our report made with the boy and the girl in the right places?
- Do both our 7th houses support marriage, apart from the score?
- Could a small error in either birth time change our total?
- Which school of matching do you follow, the 36-point one or the South Indian one?
What should I know before booking a session about low guna score?
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does a session cost? | Each astrologer sets one rate for chat and call, from ₹15 a minute. A 10-minute session at ₹15 a minute costs ₹150 (October 2026). |
| Is the first session free? | 5 free minutes on the first session, no card. |
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| Do I need an exact birth time? | It helps. Without one an astrologer can still read your Moon sign and planets by sign, or work out the time with you. |
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| Where does it work? | Online, from anywhere in India and abroad. People use Kismo from 80+ countries. |
What else do people ask an astrologer about?
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Questions people ask
What is considered a low guna score in kundli matching?
A guna score under 18 out of 36 is what most people and apps call low. The 18 line is a modern convention: Muhurta Chintamani only says more points are better, and Drik Panchang calls 0 to 16 inauspicious and 17 to 20 middling. So a 17 is low by one rule and middling by another, which is why astrologers look past the total.
What happens if gun milan is less than 18?
Nothing is decided by the number alone when gun milan is less than 18; it means the match needs a closer reading. Many families treat it as a stop, but an astrologer first checks which kootas lost points, whether a nadi or bhakoot exception applies, and what both 7th houses show. Many low totals come mostly from those two kootas.
Which koota matters most when my guna score is low?
Nadi usually matters most, followed by bhakoot. Nadi carries 8 of the 36 points and bhakoot 7, so losing both costs 15 points. Drik Panchang's tutorial says nadi gets the highest priority, and B. V. Raman called it the most important kuta. Losing a point in varna or vashya changes the reading far less.
Can a wrong birth time give us a low guna score?
Yes, a wrong birth time can change the guna score. The score depends on each person's Moon nakshatra, its quarter and its sign, and the Moon moves through a quarter in about six hours. If either time is guessed, ask an astrologer to check both before reading anything into a low total.
Is kundli matching by guna score used in South India too?
Partly. Many South Indian families use poruthams or kutas judged from the birth stars instead of a 36-point total. Prasna Marga, the Kerala text, lists up to 23 items and names five as essential, with no points. B. V. Raman's Muhurtha gives units to some kutas. So a low 36-point score may matter less in a South Indian reading.
Can I ask a Kismo astrologer about a low guna score, and what does it cost?
Yes, you can ask a verified Vedic astrologer on Kismo to read a low guna match by chat or call. Each astrologer sets a rate from ₹15 a minute, and your first session has 5 free minutes with no card needed. You top up a wallet from ₹100, and only the minutes you use are charged.
An astrologer wants money for a ritual to raise our guna score. Is that genuine?
No ritual changes a guna score, because the score is fixed by two birth Moons. Remedies are traditionally offered for a dosha, not for the number, and nobody can promise what a ritual does. Get a second opinion before paying for any ritual. On Kismo, pressure or asking for money outside the app is misconduct that a person handles.
Can I calculate my guna score myself before talking to an astrologer?
Yes, a free kundli matching tool gives the 36-point total and each koota's points from both birth details. The tool cannot judge exceptions, the school you follow, or what both 7th houses show. Use it to see where the points were lost, then take that breakdown to an astrologer for the reading.
Where can I talk to an astrologer about a low guna score online?
You can talk to an astrologer about a low guna score on Kismo. Kismo is an app where you talk to verified Vedic astrologers by chat or call, in 16 languages. Every astrologer there passes a qualification review, a panel interview, live audits and a 30-day probation, and the app works online from anywhere in India and abroad.
Talk to an astrologer about low guna score
Kismo is an app where you talk to verified Vedic astrologers by chat or call, in 16 languages.
On an iPhone, log in on kismo.app in your browser.
Where do these facts come from?
- Muhurta Chintamani of Daivagya Shri Ramacharya with Hindi commentary by Pt. Mahidhara Sharma, ch. 6 (Vivaha Prakarana), vv. 21, 32-33, 34, 37, Khemraj Shri Krishna Das Prakashan, Mumbai, via Internet Archive. Accessed .
- Kundali Matching (Ashta-Kuta) tutorial, Drik Panchang. Accessed .
- Prasna Marga, Part 2, chapter 21: marriage compatibility (tr. B. V. Raman), Internet Archive. Accessed .
- Muhurtha or Electional Astrology, rasi kuta and nadi kuta, pp. 84-93 (B. V. Raman, 1948), Internet Archive (Digital Library of India). Accessed .
- Correlation of Vedic matchmaking and its real-time psychological effect on 19 Indian couples: a survey (Abhishek G. Dhawan), vol. 9 no. 9, September 2020, International Journal of Scientific Research. Accessed .
- Refusal to marry over kundali mismatch after sex is offence: Delhi High Court (23 February 2026), Bar & Bench. Accessed .
- Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 11, verse 8: the 7th house, Enjoy Learning Sanskrit. Accessed .
