Kundli milan · Nadi · Bhakoot
Nadi dosha and Bhakoot dosha: what they are, how to check them, and when they are cancelled
Nadi and Bhakoot are the two heaviest parts of Kundli matching, and the two doshas people ask about most. Here is what each one means in plain words, a checker that reads them from the two birth nakshatras, and the cancellations that are commonly accepted.
Check Nadi dosha and Bhakoot dosha
Choose the boy’s and the girl’s birth nakshatra (the nakshatra the Moon was in at birth). Add the pada if you know it. If the pada is not known and the nakshatra falls in two Moon signs, choose the sign.
Choose both nakshatras to see the result.
Do not know your nakshatra?
Find it from the Kundli matching by date of birth (date, time and place of birth give the real Moon nakshatra) or, as a first look, from the Kundli milan by name. Both show the full 36-point score with Nadi and Bhakoot. To find only the nakshatra, use the nakshatra calculator.
Kundli milan in two lines
Kundli milan (Ashtakoot Guna Milan) compares the Moon nakshatras of the boy and the girl through eight kootas worth 36 points (gunas) in all. Nadi carries the most points (8) and Bhakoot the next most (7), which is why their doshas get the most attention.
For the full score use Kundli milan by name or Kundli matching by date of birth.
What Nadi dosha is
Every nakshatra belongs to one of three nadis: Adi, Madhya or Antya. The names Vata, Pitta and Kapha are borrowed from Ayurveda; in matching they are simply three groups of nine nakshatras. The table shows which nakshatra falls in which nadi.
| Nadi | Nakshatras |
|---|---|
| Adi (Vata) | Ashwini, Ardra, Punarvasu, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Jyeshtha, Mula, Shatabhisha, Purva Bhadrapada |
| Madhya (Pitta) | Bharani, Mrigashira, Pushya, Purva Phalguni, Chitra, Anuradha, Purva Ashadha, Dhanishta, Uttara Bhadrapada |
| Antya (Kapha) | Krittika, Rohini, Ashlesha, Magha, Swati, Vishakha, Uttara Ashadha, Shravana, Revati |
If the boy and the girl have different nadis, Nadi gives the full 8 points. If both have the same nadi, Nadi gives 0 points. That is Nadi dosha. It depends only on the two nakshatras, so a third of all nakshatra pairs have it.
What Bhakoot dosha is
Bhakoot looks at the distance between the two Moon signs (rashis). Count from the girl’s sign to the boy’s sign, counting the sign you start from as 1, then count back the other way. The two counts form a pair.
| Distance (count and count back) | Bhakoot points | Dosha |
|---|---|---|
| 1/1 (same sign) | 7 | None |
| 2/12 (next to each other) | 0 | Dwi-dwadash (2/12) |
| 3/11 (third and eleventh) | 7 | None |
| 4/10 (fourth and tenth) | 7 | None |
| 5/9 (fifth and ninth) | 0 | Nav-pancham (5/9) |
| 6/8 (sixth and eighth) | 0 | Shadashtak (6/8) |
| 7/7 (opposite signs) | 7 | None |
The pairs 2/12, 5/9 and 6/8 give 0 of 7 points. That is Bhakoot dosha. Every other distance gives the full 7.
When Nadi dosha and Bhakoot dosha are cancelled
A dosha is often read as cancelled (parihar) when another factor balances it. These are the conditions our matching calculators check, exactly as they apply them. They are commonly accepted but tradition-dependent: schools differ on which ones count, and some need the full Kundli. The calculators list them for information and never change the score because of them.
| Condition | For | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Same Moon sign, different nakshatras | Nadi dosha | Both Moon signs are the same but the nakshatras are different. Many astrologers treat Nadi dosha as cancelled in this case. |
| Same nakshatra, different Moon signs | Nadi dosha | Both share the nakshatra but the Moon signs are different. Many astrologers treat Nadi dosha as cancelled in this case. |
| Same nakshatra, different padas | Nadi dosha | Both share the nakshatra but in different padas. Some traditions treat Nadi dosha as reduced or cancelled in this case. |
| Both Moon signs ruled by one planet | Bhakoot dosha | Both Moon signs are ruled by the same planet. This is the most widely accepted cancellation of Bhakoot dosha. |
| Moon sign lords are mutual friends | Bhakoot dosha | The lords of the two Moon signs are mutual friends. Many astrologers accept this as a cancellation of Bhakoot dosha. |
| Navamsa lords in the full chart | Bhakoot dosha | A full chart can also cancel Bhakoot dosha through the Navamsa lords, which need the full Kundli to check. |
Friendship here is the natural friendship of the planets used for Graha Maitri; for Bhakoot the lords must be friends both ways. One older muhurta text also lets the same or friendly Moon sign lords cancel Nadi dosha, but most lists today keep that rule for Bhakoot only, so the checker does not count it for Nadi. Some texts also exempt a few nakshatras from Nadi dosha; their lists do not agree, so the checker does not apply them.
Worked example
Take a boy whose Moon is in Ashwini pada 1 (Mesha) and a girl whose Moon is in Jyeshtha pada 2 (Vrishchika).
- Nadi: Ashwini and Jyeshtha are both Adi (Vata). The nadis are the same, so Nadi gives 0 of 8: Nadi dosha.
- Bhakoot: from the girl’s sign Vrishchika to the boy’s sign Mesha is 6; counting back is 8. The pair is 6/8. Shadashtak (6/8) is Bhakoot dosha, so Bhakoot gives 0 of 7.
- Both Moon signs are ruled by Mars. A shared lord is the most widely accepted cancellation of Bhakoot dosha; it is not counted as a cancellation of Nadi dosha. The checker therefore lists these cancellations:
- Both Moon signs ruled by one planet
- Navamsa lords in the full chart
Boy
Ashwini, pada 1
Moon sign: Mesha
Nadi: Adi (Vata)
Girl
Jyeshtha, pada 2
Moon sign: Vrishchika
Nadi: Adi (Vata)
| Koota | Points | Dosha |
|---|---|---|
| Nadi | 0 of 8 | Same nadi: Nadi dosha |
| Bhakoot | 0 of 7 | Signs 6/8 from each other: Shadashtak (6/8) |
Nadi dosha: present.
None of the common cancellation conditions applies from the nakshatras alone.
Bhakoot dosha: present.
Commonly accepted cancellations that apply (traditions differ):
- Both Moon signs are ruled by the same planet. This is the most widely accepted cancellation of Bhakoot dosha.
- A full chart can also cancel Bhakoot dosha through the Navamsa lords, which need the full Kundli to check.
Cancellations are shown for information. They do not change the points, and a full Kundli match reads them against both charts.
This is the same result the checker above and the Kundli matching calculators give for these two nakshatras.
If Nadi dosha or Bhakoot dosha is present
- Do not decide from one koota. Nadi and Bhakoot are two of eight, and the total and the rest of both charts matter as much.
- Check whether a cancellation applies. The checker shows the common ones; some, like the Navamsa lords, need the full Kundli.
- If you matched by name, match again by date of birth. A name only stands in for the birth nakshatra, and the real one can differ.
- Talk to an astrologer who reads both full charts together. Traditions differ on these doshas, and a calm reading of both Kundlis is worth more than a single flag.
Nadi dosha and Bhakoot dosha: common questions
What is Nadi dosha?
Each nakshatra belongs to one of three nadis: Adi, Madhya or Antya. When the boy and the girl have the same nadi, the Nadi koota gives 0 of its 8 points. That is Nadi dosha.
Is Nadi dosha cancelled if the rashi is the same?
Many astrologers treat Nadi dosha as cancelled when both share the Moon sign but have different nakshatras, or share the nakshatra but have different Moon signs. Some also accept the same nakshatra in different padas. Traditions differ, so read it with the full charts.
Which sign distances cause Bhakoot dosha?
Count from one Moon sign to the other and back. The pairs 2/12, 5/9 and 6/8 give 0 of 7 points and are Bhakoot dosha. The most widely accepted cancellation is when both signs share a lord, such as Mesha and Vrishchika (both Mars).
Can I check Nadi dosha by name?
Yes, Kundli milan by name reads a nakshatra from the first syllable of each name. That is only a first look: the real birth nakshatra comes from the date, time and place of birth, and it can have a different nadi.
Does Nadi dosha mean the match should not go ahead?
No single koota decides a match. Nadi dosha is one flag among eight kootas, it is often cancelled, and astrologers weigh it with both full charts. If it shows up, have both Kundlis read together before deciding.
Does a cancellation change the score?
No. Our calculators show the points as the rules give them and list the cancellations beside them for information. How much weight a cancellation carries is for the astrologer reading both charts.