The eight kootas
Gana Koota: Deva, Manushya and Rakshasa
By Match Kundli Editorial Team · Updated · 4 min read
Gana koota is worth 6 points and compares the basic nature, or gana, of the two birth nakshatras. The 27 stars are divided equally into three ganas: Deva, Manushya and Rakshasa. On this site, two people of the same gana score the full 6, a Deva paired with a Manushya also scores 6, and mixed pairs that include a Rakshasa score 1 or 0.
It is the koota most often mentioned when families talk about temperament, and also the one most often misunderstood because of the word "Rakshasa".
The three natures
The ganas describe broad tendencies of character rather than moral worth.
- Deva (divine): gentle, generous and idealistic, inclined towards harmony and comfort.
- Manushya (human): practical and balanced, with a mix of ambition, sociability and worldly concern.
- Rakshasa (often translated as demon): intense, independent and strong-willed, quick to act and slow to give way.
The translation of Rakshasa makes it sound alarming, but astrologers use it to describe energy and forcefulness, not wickedness. Many people with Rakshasa nakshatras are described in traditional terms as determined, protective and resilient.
Which nakshatras belong to which gana
Each gana holds exactly nine stars.
| Deva | Manushya | Rakshasa |
|---|---|---|
| Ashwini | Bharani | Krittika |
| Mrigashira | Rohini | Ashlesha |
| Punarvasu | Ardra | Magha |
| Pushya | Purva Phalguni | Chitra |
| Hasta | Uttara Phalguni | Vishakha |
| Swati | Purva Ashadha | Jyeshtha |
| Anuradha | Uttara Ashadha | Mula |
| Shravana | Purva Bhadrapada | Dhanishta |
| Revati | Uttara Bhadrapada | Shatabhisha |
How this site scores Gana
Gana is one of the kootas that treat the two charts differently, so the table below reads boy's gana down the side and girl's gana across the top.
| Boy's gana | Girl: Deva | Girl: Manushya | Girl: Rakshasa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deva | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Manushya | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Rakshasa | 0 | 1 | 6 |
Three things stand out. Matching ganas always earn full marks, including two Rakshasa stars. Deva and Manushya are treated as fully compatible in either order. And the only partial score, 1 point, goes to a Rakshasa boy with a Manushya girl, while the reverse pairing scores nothing.
How other published tables differ
Sources agree on the broad shape: full marks for matching natures and little or nothing for most pairings that bring a Rakshasa together with someone of another gana. They differ on a few partial values, usually by a single point. Some tables give 5 rather than 6 when the boy is Manushya and the girl is Deva, and some award a point to a Deva–Rakshasa pairing that this site scores as 0. If two calculators disagree on Gana by one point, this is almost always the reason.
Gana in the worked examples
The site's three worked examples, computed from fictional birth details, all reach the full 6:
| Example | Boy's star and gana | Girl's star and gana | Gana score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example 1 | Uttara Bhadrapada, Manushya | Shravana, Deva | 6 |
| Example 2 | Revati, Deva | Shravana, Deva | 6 |
| Example 3 | Mrigashira, Deva | Shravana, Deva | 6 |
Example 1 is the case where tables differ: a Manushya boy with a Deva girl scores 6 here but 5 in some other almanacs. To see a zero, imagine the girl in Example 2 had been born in Dhanishta, a Rakshasa star. A Deva boy with a Rakshasa girl scores 0 in Gana, so this koota alone would lose all 6 points. (A different star would change several other kootas too, since Tara, Yoni and Nadi also depend on it.)
Is a zero in Gana a dosha?
Some astrologers call a zero in this koota Gana Dosha, especially for a Deva–Rakshasa pairing, which the detailed report on this site describes as "traditionally considered the most temperamentally challenging Gana combination". The calculator does not flag it as a separate dosha the way it does for Nadi and Bhakoot, but the 0 out of 6 is plainly visible in the koota grid.
Even where a zero is present, tradition does not treat Gana in isolation. An astrologer will usually look at whether the Moon-sign rulers are friendly, since good Graha Maitri is often said to ease temperamental differences, and at the overall balance of the two charts. If Gana is the main weak point in your report, what to do if your kundli does not match covers the usual next steps.
Reading the result in everyday terms
A full score suggests that two people's instinctive pace and approach to life are broadly in tune. A partial or zero score suggests that one may be noticeably more forceful or more easy-going than the other, and that the couple may benefit from agreeing how they handle disagreement, pressure and decisions.
Whatever the score, a few honest questions often say more than the koota itself:
- When we disagree, who usually presses ahead and who usually waits?
- How does each of us recover after a hard week: company, quiet or activity?
- How quickly does each of us like to make a large decision, such as a move or a purchase?
Gana works alongside Yoni, which covers instinctive and physical compatibility, so the two are often read together. Because both depend on the nakshatra, both can change if the birth time is uncertain; this guide to the nakshatra calculation explains why. For how Gana fits with the other seven factors, see the eight kootas explained.