Vashya Koota indicates mutual attraction, love, and affection between the couple. The twelve Rashis are grouped into five categories — Chatushpada (quadruped), Manava (human), Jalachara (aquatic), Vanachara (wild), and Keeta (insect) — and the Vashya relationship between the bride's and groom's Rashis is calculated. A favourable Vashya result suggests natural attraction and mutual respect, where neither partner completely dominates the other. It carries a maximum of 2 gunas.

Tara Koota indicates the health, longevity, and wellbeing of the couple. The nakshatra count is taken from the bride's star to the groom's star — and back again — then divided by 9 to determine whether the resulting Tara is auspicious or inauspicious. When both directions yield an auspicious Tara, the full 3 gunas are awarded. A favourable Tara Koota is traditionally seen as a sign of stable health and continued good fortune through married life.

Yoni Koota checks physical and emotional compatibility by assigning each of the 27 nakshatras an animal symbol representing its underlying nature. The bride's and groom's animal symbols are compared to see how naturally aligned or opposed their instincts and intimate compatibility are likely to be. The same or friendly animal pairs are considered favourable, while natural enemy pairs — such as cat and rat — are seen as a sign of friction. It is one of the key kootas in Gun Milan, carrying a maximum of 4 gunas.

Graha Maitri Koota indicates the mental compatibility, harmony of thought, and mutual understanding between the couple. It is calculated from the friendship, neutrality, or enmity between the ruling planets (Rashi lords) of the bride's and groom's moon signs. When the two Rashi lords are mutual friends, the full 5 gunas are awarded — a strong indicator of natural mental rapport and a calm, peaceful home environment.

Gana Koota groups every nakshatra into one of three temperaments — Deva (divine), Manushya (human), or Rakshasa (demonic) — and compares the bride's and groom's Gana to judge how naturally their personalities and behaviour will get along. A Deva-Deva or Manushya-Manushya match is considered smooth, while a Deva-Rakshasa pairing is traditionally seen as more challenging, since the underlying nature of each partner is thought to pull in very different directions. It carries a maximum of 6 gunas.

Bhakoot Koota (Rashi Koota) indicates family welfare, financial stability, and progeny. The mutual positions of the bride's and groom's moon signs are examined — if the Rashis fall in 6-8 (Shadashtak), 2-12 (Dwirdwadash), or 5-9 (Navam-Pancham) positions from each other, Bhakoot Dosha is formed. With no dosha the full 7 gunas are awarded; with dosha the score is 0. As the second-highest weighted koota after Nadi, it is checked very carefully before confirming a Kundali match.

Nadi Koota is the single most important of the eight kootas, carrying the highest weight of 8 gunas, as it is believed to directly affect the health, progeny, and continuation of the family line. The 27 nakshatras are divided into three Nadis — Adi, Madhya, and Antya. When the bride and groom fall in the same Nadi, Nadi Dosha is formed. This dosha is taken very seriously in Vedic astrology and is rarely overlooked even when every other koota matches well.