Gana Dosha in Kundli Matching: Deva, Manushya and Rakshasa
7 min read · Updated 12 November 2026
Gana dosha arises in Kundli matching when the Gana koota scores 0 or 1 of its 6 points, which happens when one partner’s birth nakshatra is of Rakshasa gana and the other’s is Deva or Manushya. Tradition reads it as a difference in temperament rather than a danger, and sets it aside in most cases: when the two Moon-sign lords are the same or friends, or when Bhakoot is favourable.
The three ganas
Gana means group or class. Each of the 27 nakshatras belongs to one of three ganas, which describe a person’s basic temperament as read from the Moon’s star at birth:
- Deva (divine): gentle, idealistic, generous and inclined to trust.
- Manushya (human): practical, balanced and attached to family and worldly duties.
- Rakshasa (fierce): independent, strong-willed, intense and quick to protect their own.
Rakshasa sounds alarming, but in matching it is a description of temperament, not of character. It points to a forceful, self-directed nature, and tradition also links it with courage and determination.
Each gana holds exactly nine nakshatras:
| Gana | Nakshatras |
|---|---|
| Deva | Ashwini, Mrigashira, Punarvasu, Pushya, Hasta, Swati, Anuradha, Shravana, Revati |
| Manushya | Bharani, Rohini, Ardra, Purva Phalguni, Uttara Phalguni, Purva Ashadha, Uttara Ashadha, Purva Bhadrapada, Uttara Bhadrapada |
| Rakshasa | Krittika, Ashlesha, Magha, Chitra, Vishakha, Jyeshtha, Mula, Dhanishta, Shatabhisha |
Your gana depends only on your birth nakshatra. Our guide to the 27 nakshatras gives the nature of each star in more detail.
The Gana koota table
Gana is the sixth koota of Guna Milan, worth 6 of the 36 points. This is the table our matching tool uses, the one most widely followed in North Indian practice:
| Groom’s gana | Bride Deva | Bride Manushya | Bride Rakshasa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deva | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| Manushya | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| Rakshasa | 1 | 0 | 6 |
Three things stand out:
- The same gana always scores 6. Two Rakshasa partners are as well matched on this koota as two Deva partners.
- Deva and Manushya sit comfortably together, scoring 5 or 6 depending on who holds which. Some southern tables swap these two cells, so a report may differ by a point here.
- Rakshasa with either of the others scores 0 or 1. This is what tradition calls Gana dosha.
Gana is one of the few kootas that is not symmetrical, so the groom’s and bride’s details must go in the right places.
How common Gana dosha is
Because each gana holds nine of the 27 nakshatras, a Rakshasa partner paired with a non-Rakshasa one is common. We scored every possible pair of Moon positions, in steps of a quarter of a degree, using the classical tables:
- About four pairings in nine have Gana dosha, split evenly between Deva with Rakshasa (1 point) and Manushya with Rakshasa (0 points).
- The rule on Moon-sign lords sets aside about two in five of these.
- A favourable Bhakoot sets aside about one in three more.
- That leaves a Gana dosha standing in roughly one pairing in eight.
So nearly three in four Gana doshas are set aside by one of the two classical rules. Gana dosha on a report is therefore common, and usually it is already answered.
The two rules that set it aside
Our matching tool follows the two exceptions most widely applied:
1. The Moon-sign lords are the same or friends. If both Moons are in signs with the same lord, or the two lords are natural friends both ways, the dosha is set aside. This is the same test used in Graha Maitri, the koota of mental friendship. The reasoning is simple: when two minds are on friendly terms, a difference in temperament is easier to bridge.
2. Bhakoot is favourable. If the two Moon signs are 1/1, 3/11, 4/10 or 7/7 from each other, Bhakoot scores its full 7 points, and tradition treats the family harmony it signifies as outweighing the temperament gap.
Other texts list further exceptions, and South Indian practice has its own rules (see below). Ask your family astrologer which ones they follow.
One consequence is worth knowing. A Gana dosha that survives both rules must come with a Bhakoot dosha that is itself uncancelled, because the same friendly lords that set aside Gana would also cancel Bhakoot. That is why a live Gana dosha rarely appears in a good score: in our scoring, about four in five fall below 18 in total.
Four worked examples
Same Moon sign. A groom with the Moon in Pushya (Deva) and a bride with the Moon in Ashlesha (Rakshasa), both in Cancer. Gana scores 1, a Gana dosha, but both Moon signs share a lord, the Moon, so it is set aside. The total is 29 of 36, a very good match.
Friendly lords. A groom with the Moon in Bharani (Manushya), in Aries, and a bride with the Moon in Magha (Rakshasa), in Leo. Gana scores 0, but Mars and the Sun are friends both ways, so the dosha is set aside. The total is 19, acceptable by tradition.
Favourable Bhakoot. A groom with the Moon in Ashwini (Deva), in Aries, and a bride with the Moon in Chitra (Rakshasa), in Libra. Mars and Venus are only neutral to each other, but Aries and Libra are 7/7, a favourable Bhakoot, so the Gana dosha is set aside. The total is 23.5.
A dosha that stands. A groom with the Moon in Ashlesha (Rakshasa), in Cancer, and a bride with the Moon in Anuradha (Deva), in Scorpio. Gana scores 1. Mars counts the Moon as a friend but the Moon is only neutral to Mars, so the lords are not friends both ways, and Cancer and Scorpio are 5/9, an uncancelled Bhakoot dosha. Both doshas stand. Even so, the total is 21, which tradition still treats as acceptable, with a closer look at the lower kootas and the full charts.
How Gana fits with the other kootas
Gana is the third-heaviest koota, after Nadi (8 points) and Bhakoot (7). Astrologers rarely read it alone. It sits naturally beside two others:
- Graha Maitri (5 points) compares the lords of the two Moon signs and is read as mental rapport. A low Gana with a high Graha Maitri suggests different natures with minds that still meet, which is exactly why the first exception exists.
- Yoni (4 points) compares the animal symbols of the two nakshatras and is read as instinctive harmony. Gana and Yoni both come from the birth stars, so together they describe the two natures from two angles: temperament and instinct.
The weaker position is a pairing that loses points in Gana and Graha Maitri at once, because then neither temperament nor mental friendship is supporting the match. That is the pattern worth a closer look, more than a Gana score on its own.
What a Gana difference means in daily life
Read gently, Gana describes pace and style more than compatibility of values. A Deva partner may prefer to avoid conflict and trust easily; a Manushya partner may focus on practical duties and family expectations; a Rakshasa partner may be direct, self-reliant and protective.
None of this predicts how a marriage will go. It can be a useful prompt for conversations that every couple benefits from: how each of you handles disagreement, how you make decisions together and what you each need when under pressure. Talked through early, a difference in temperament can become a strength rather than a source of friction.
Gana in South Indian matching
South Indian Porutham matching includes a Gana porutham based on the same three ganas. Regional lists differ in the details, especially for pairings that involve a Rakshasa bride or groom, and families there usually weigh it alongside the other poruthams rather than adding up points. If your families come from different regions, agree early on which method both sides will follow. Our guide to Rajju and Vedha covers the two southern checks that are usually treated as decisive.
What families traditionally do
- Find both birth nakshatras and their ganas.
- Check the two exceptions: friendly or shared Moon-sign lords, and a favourable Bhakoot.
- If the dosha stands, look at Bhakoot dosha too, since the two travel together.
- Ask a qualified astrologer to read both full charts, including the 7th house, Venus and the navamsa.
- Decide together. Gana is worth 6 points of 36. It should never outweigh what two people know about each other.
Traditional remedies for Gana dosha, where families want one, are usually prayers or a puja chosen with the family priest. They are offered as reassurance, and none comes with a promised result.
To check your own pairing, use our Kundli matching tool. The score out of 36 is free, and the full report shows every koota, including Gana, with any dosha and the reason it is set aside. Each partner can also create a free Kundli to see their nakshatra and gana. For all eight koota tables in one place, see the Ashtakoot Guna Milan table.
Frequently asked questions
What is Gana dosha?
Gana dosha is a low score in the Gana koota of Guna Milan: 0 or 1 of its 6 points. It happens when one partner’s birth nakshatra is of Rakshasa gana and the other’s is Deva or Manushya. Tradition reads it as a difference in temperament, and often sets it aside.
Can a Rakshasa gana person marry a Deva gana person?
Yes. The pairing scores 1 of 6, which counts as Gana dosha, but the dosha is commonly set aside when the two Moon-sign lords are the same or friends, or when Bhakoot is favourable. Many such couples marry happily, so look at the whole match rather than this one koota.
Is Rakshasa gana bad?
No. In matching, Rakshasa describes an independent, strong-willed and intense temperament, not a moral judgement. Two Rakshasa partners score the full 6 points, the same as two Deva partners.
How do I find my gana?
Your gana comes from your birth nakshatra, the nakshatra the Moon occupied when you were born. Find it in the table in this guide, or create a free Kundli, which lists your gana with your other birth details.
Is Deva–Manushya a good Gana match?
Yes. In the North Indian table a Deva groom with a Manushya bride scores 6, and a Manushya groom with a Deva bride scores 5. Some southern tables swap the two, but neither combination is a dosha.
Does Gana dosha matter if the total score is high?
Most astrologers give it less weight than Nadi or Bhakoot dosha. In practice, a Gana dosha that is not set aside usually comes with a low total, because it travels with an uncancelled Bhakoot dosha. With a good total, it is usually a note about temperament rather than a reason to stop.
Try it free