Actually if I realized what is the spiritual dimension, actually my dimension, length and breadth, you cannot measure, because I am actually a very small spiritual particle. You cannot measure one ten-thousandth part of the tip of your hair. That is my measurement. So if I am smaller than the grass, that's a fact. I am still smaller, smaller. I do not know how small I am, but I am thinking of this body. An elephant is thinking that, "I am so big," or a man is thinking, "I am so big," ant is thinking, "I am so small." This smallness, bigness is due to this body.
Therefore in Bhagavad-gītā you will find, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18).
One who is learned, he does not see the small body or big body. He sees the particle of soul—spirit soul, therefore sama-darśinaḥ. He knows that the small particle of spirit is there in the ant and in the elephant. Therefore he sees the elephant and the ant on the same level, on spiritual vision, not on this external vision. This is called self-realization.
"Self-realization" you have heard so many times. What is that self-realization? Self-realization means I am not this body, I am spirit soul. That is self-realization. So if I am smaller than the grass then if somebody says that, "You are lower than the grass," or "You are smaller than the grass," that's a fact. So sometimes this insulting words may come from others, but if you are self-realized you know that, "I am not this body. So let him insult. Let me tolerate."
Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches that taror api sahiṣṇunā, toleration like the tree. Best example. You cannot find any tolerant living entity than a tree, because it is standing day and night in scorching heat, in severe cold, there is wind, there is rainfall, it does not make any protest—standing, tolerant. People are taking leaves, flowers, fruits, cutting, and never protests. This is a symbol of toleration.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends that you become tolerant than the tree and smaller than the small grass on the street, and you give all honor to others and don't expect any honor. Because people do not know how to honor me. Real honor is that you are servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is real honor. And if I say: "Your Majesty," "Your Honor," "Your Lordship," they are all false. Real honor is when I call you that you are servant of God, or servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is real honor.
So self-discipline and constantly endeavoring for perfection. This is the perfection. Always be situated in self-realized condition that, "I am not this body." This is perfection. Actually it is. But due to my ignorance I am identifying with this body; therefore I am not self-realized. So constantly endeavoring. This cannot be attained all of a sudden. One has to practice. It is a fact. But one has to realize this fact by endeavoring. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness practice.
All the yoga practice or philosophical speculation or anything—all practice targets to one point—that, "I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am Brahman. I am not this matter." This is perfection. A man who has made sufficient progress to this realization is more perfect—this is the way of perfection—and assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future. One has simply . . . if I am realized, then this material composition of this body is disbursed, and I am the spirit soul, small particle, I am immediately promoted to the spiritual sky. That is the highest perfection.