What it means
Bhakoot compares the two Moon signs by the distance between them, and is worth 7 points of the 36 in ashtakoota - the second-heaviest koota after Nadi. Count the distance both ways: 1/7, 3/11, 4/10 and 5/9 score full marks, while 2/12 and 6/8 score zero and are what people mean by Bhakoot dosha.
How it is read
The two failing pairs are read differently. The 6/8 axis - shadashtak - is associated with friction and health strain; 2/12 with financial and emotional drain in one direction more than the other. Because the koota is worth seven points, a Bhakoot failure alone can pull a total from a comfortable pass to below the usual threshold, which is why it gets reported as decisive.
What to watch for
Standard cancellations exist and are frequently omitted. Bhakoot is generally taken as cancelled when both Moon signs have the same lord, when the lords are mutually friendly, or when the Nakshatra lords are the same or friendly - and several traditions cancel it when the Rashi lords are in the same sign. A matching report that states a Bhakoot dosha without checking the sign lords has skipped the step the texts put immediately after the rule.
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