Vedic astrology and marriage

In India it is common to match horoscopes at the time or marriage. The horosocopes are matched on the following eight criterion

1) Varna: Color or caste
2) Vashya: Passions
3) Tara: Guiding Star
4) Yoni: Animal nature
5) Graha: Ruling planet
6) Gana: Nature
7) Bhakoot: Moon
8) Nadi: Energy flow

These eight criterion were selected by the ancient sages as the most important indicators of compatibility. However, this form of matching is at a very rough level.

To give an example, suppose you shop for insurance on your car. The insurance company will use rough indicators such as your education level, your age etc to determine how much of a risk you are. In the absence of other information about you it makes sense to go with rough criterion such as these.

By its very nature astrology has more in common with statistical disciplines such as economics than with exact disciplines such as Physics. Thus it could happen that a couple with a perfect match in the astrological criterion nevertheless struggle with their marriage, while a couple with a dire astrological prediction lives a smooth life.

Thus even if a match is not indicated by the above factors it may be still fine to proceed with marriage. Such a decision can only be made by an astrologer only with a very careful study of the horoscope or  with an intimate knowledge of the person.

In the following articles I will expound more upon each of these eight characteristics.