Tara koota (Dina koota)
Tara koota is the third Guna Milan factor, worth 3 points. It counts the distance between the two birth nakshatras to judge well-being and good fortune in the marriage.
Also known as: Tara kuta, Dina porutham, Tara milan, tara guna
Count the nakshatras from the bride’s birth star to the groom’s, divide by 9 and note the remainder; then count from the groom’s star to the bride’s and do the same. Remainders of 3 (Vipat), 5 (Pratyak) and 7 (Naidhana) are unfavourable; the rest are favourable.
Each favourable direction earns 1.5 points, so the score could in principle be 3, 1.5 or 0. In practice the two counts can never both be unfavourable, so Tara always gives 1.5 or 3.
The nine star types, Janma, Sampat, Vipat, Kshema, Pratyak, Sadhana, Naidhana, Mitra and Parama Mitra, are also used in muhurat and daily guidance, which is why Tara is linked with health and fortune. South Indian matching has the equivalent Dina porutham.