Meaning of the word Duhkkhanta?

Question

In the Pasupata Sutram are quoted five doctrinal elements, one of them is Duhkkhanta:

Pasupati is the only cause and He grants us His grace directlyin the share of duhkkhanta

What is the precise meaning of the word Duhkkhanta?

Answer 1

[You MUST cite the source for the quote of the block quoted verse in your question.]

The word, duḥkhānta ( दुखांत) literally means duḥkh [दुःख (sorrow)] + ānta [अंत (end)] = End of Sorrow.

The sorrow can both have spiritual and material implications although.

In spiritual and metaphysical connotation, the end of sorrow will innately mean freedom from the mundane cycle of wordly existence (samsara), संसार), i.e. Moksha (मोक्ष).

Etymologically, duḥkhānta (दुखांत) is one of the five doctrinal elements or principles which forms the core credal based philosophical crux of the Pāśupata Sect ( पाशुपत सम्प्रदाय ).

The five doctrinal elements being,

karya (कार्य) i.e. Effect

kāraṇa (कारण ) i.e. Cause

yoga (योग ) i.e. Union or Contact

vidhi (विधि ) i.e. Behavior

duḥkhānta (दुखांत ) i.e. End of Sorrow(s), Moksha (मोक्ष)

Thus, the doctrine proclaims that

The sorrow can be removed by the grace of Shiva (शिव), who is Pashupati (पशुपति), the lord and protector of all. Liberation cannot be obtained by jñāna (ज्ञान) - knowledge, neither vairāgya (वैराग्यं) - Detachment, nor dharma (धर्म) - Righteous conduct, and neither aiśvarya-tyāga (ऐश्वर्य-त्याग) - Surrendering Opulences.
Only through Shivas grace may one attain the final liberation. And thus, दुखांतक - duḥkhāntaka ( i.e., the one who ends sorrows); being one of Shivas' several names.

Furthermore, duḥkhānta itself being of two types :-

A snippet of the above linked book, explaining the two types of duḥkhānta.

I couldn't find any free English version for this, here is paraphrased Translation of the yellow highlighted paragraph :-

Liberation (मुक्ति) achieved after attaining freedom from duḥkha (sorrows) is known as duḥkhānta (दुखांत). Due to False knowledge (मिथ्या ज्ञान ), Unrighteous Conduct (अधर्म), Individuals' Consciousness ' (चित्त) aversion (विमुख) towards the Supreme Consciousness (Shiva), and ignorance (अल्पज्ञता) are the primary reasons for the attachment of the individual in the samsara. Detachment from samsaraic ties is a prerequisite to gain Shivas' Grace. To achieve detachment, sādhnā yoga (साधना योग) and prapatti (प्रपत्ति) is imperative.

Duḥkhānta (दुखांत) is of Sātmaka (सात्मक) and Anātmaka (अनात्मक) types.

In the Sātmaka Duḥkhānta (सात्मक दुखांत), through the powers of - jñāna (ज्ञान) - Knowledge, and, dharma (धर्म) - Righteous conduct, the individual achieves Youthful Opulences,(?) ( युवा ऐश्वर्य ?).

In the Anātmaka Duḥkhānta (अनात्मक दुखांत), there is complete unequivocal decay/annihilation (छय/क्षय - kṣaya) of all kinds of sorrows (Duḥkha).

Philosophical views - darśana(दर्शन); Listening - śravaṇa (श्रवण) ; Thinking - manana (मनन) ; Wisdom sciences - vijñāna (विज्ञान) and Omniscience - sarvajñatva (सर्वज्ञत्व) , are collectively called as the five limbs of jñāna (ज्ञान) - Knowledge. The Pāśupata Sect, thus, recommends the above mentioned extraordinary and remarkable practices as the ultimate way to achieve the Supreme position (of Moksha - मोक्ष).

Answer 2

Meaning of the word Duhkkhanta?

दुःख (duhkha) = sorrow अन्त (anta) = end

So, दुःखान्त​ (duhkhAnta) = end of sorrow.

It means end of samsara, which is the cause of grief. And the ending of samsara means moksha (liberation).

So it is saying Pashupati gives moksha.