In Jain Dharma, we drink water after filtering it through a cloth to practice ahimsa and to avoid harming tiny living beings that may be present in water.

The reasons are:

• Water contains subtle जीवs: Very small living beings can exist in water.
• Cloth filtering reduces harm: By filtering, we avoid swallowing or injuring these organisms.
• Supports non-violence: This is part of the Jain principle of अहिंसा परमो धर्मः.
• Purity and discipline: It helps maintain carefulness in daily life and lessens injury, especially for sādhus, sādhvīs, and strict householders.

So, cloth filtering is a practical Jain way to protect life as much as possible while using water.