Sri Hanumanta effortlessly landed in Lanka, in spite of multiple obstacles on the way such as the request of Mainaka Parvata, the challenge of Surasa, the threat of Simhika and then eventually the brief resistance by Lankini.
Hanuman then enacts a wonderful drama “searching” for Sita. Being the best amongst all jeevas, Hanuman always knew where Sita was present in Lanka. Being a member of the Ruju-gana, and an avatara of Mukhyaprana, Hanuman has full knowledge in his avatara form, just as in his original form. There is no trace of ignorance for Hanuman (or in the avataras of Bhima and Madhwacharya, for that matter).
Therefore, when Hanuman enacts the drama of searching for Sita, it is for the purpose of mocking those observing the events and also for causing confusion to those who are ill-qualified to understand the greatness of Hanuman and his Lord.
It is this enactment that Sri Madhwacharya describes in the next few shlokas.
मार्गमाणो बहिश्चान्तः सोSशोकवनिकातले |
ददर्श शिंशुपावृक्षमूलस्थितरमाकृतिम् || 10 ||
Searching मार्गमाणः outside बहिः and च inside अन्तः (of Lanka), he सः (Hanuman) saw ददर्श the form of Sita रमाकृतिं sitting स्थित at the base मूल of the Shimshupa tree शिंशुपा वृक्ष in the Ashoka-vana अशोक वनिका region तले.
Sri Madhwacharya explains a very important tattva in the Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya, based on the account given in several Puranas. When Ravana attempted to kidnap Sita, it was a Sita-like-form that he managed to take away! Sita, in her original form, went away to Kailasa and resided there, being constantly worshiped by Lord Shiva. Indra took the form of Sita and appeared in front of Ravana, who ignorantly took away that form in his Pushpaka Vimana.
To highlight this fact Sri Madhwa uses the name रमाकृतिं here. With this choice of the name, not only does he indicate that it was only a look-alike form of Sita, but by using the term Ramaa, he re-emphasizes that there is absolutely no difference between the avatara form of Sita and the original form of Ramaa (Lakshmi)!
नरलोकविडम्बस्य जानन् रामस्य हृद्गतम् |
तस्य चेष्टानुसारेण कृत्वाचेष्टाश्च संविदम् || 11 ||
Having understood जानन् the wish हृद्गतं of Sri Rama रामस्य to mislead विडम्बस्य the world नरलोक, Hanuman performed कृत्वा his activities चेष्टा and also spoke to her संविदं in accordance अनुसारेण with his तस्य (Rama’s) activities चेष्टा.
Sri Rama is the Lord of the Universe. He is without any defect or attachment. He is full of infinite auspicious attributes and does not possess even a trace of any defect. Yet throughout the Ramayana he acted numerous times as if he were a mere mortal. He cried at Sita being taken away by Ravana, got angry at the Ocean, hid behind the scenes while killing Vali, and so on.
Sri Madhwacharya clarifies in the Tatparya Nirnaya that all of this was done only to play-act and mock those observing the events, such as Devatas and Rishis, and to delude the tamasika jeevas into believing Sri Rama was not Purushottama. That would increase the disregard and hatred of the evil for Parabrahma and hasten their downfall into Andhantamas (eternal damnation).
Hanuman, being the most devoted follower of Sri Rama, also followed his master’s footsteps in doing similar acts. Just before crossing the ocean, he appeared as if he was unaware of his own abilities. Similarly here, after having landed in Lanka, he appeared to be ‘searching’ for Sita. This vidambana becomes especially clear because even before Hanuman leapt into the sky to reach Lanka, the dying bird Sampati had already told him and the Vanaras that Sita was located in the Ashoka Vana!
His devotion to Sri Rama was so intense that he imitated every step of his master!
तादृक्चेष्टासमेताया अङ्गुलीयमदात् ततः |
In this way तादृक् he gave अदात् the finger ring (of Rama) अङ्गुलीयं to that look-alike form (of Sita) who was also engaging चेष्टा in a similar way समेताया (of misleading behavior).
There was a glorious drama being enacted by Sri Rama, Sita and Hanuman. All of them were acting as if they were mere mortals and deluding the Rakshasas (and those who understand Ramayana as a story of ordinary beings).
सीताया यानि चैवासन्नाकृतेस्तानि सर्वशः || 12 ||
भूषणानि द्विधा भूत्वातान्येवासन् तथैव च |
All the ornaments भूषणानि that यानि Sita सीताया possessed असन् had taken भूत्वा two द्विधा forms. All of them (One set of all the ornaments) तानि सर्वशः were present एवासन् on the look-alike form आकृतेः of Sita too तथैव च!
अथ चूडामणिं दिव्यं दातुं रामाय सा ददौ || 13 ||
Thereafter अथ she सा gave ददौ him her divine दिव्यं ornament (worn on the head) चूडामणिं so it could be given दातुं to Rama रामाय.
Sita then handed over her precious and divine Chudamani to Hanuman so he could give it to Rama, and the ‘play’ of having successfully located Sita could be completed.
Note: In the Valmiki and Sangraha Ramayanas, the authors dedicate many tens of shlokas describing the search by Hanuman. There is vivid description of Hanuman visiting every nook and corner of Lanka and observing the behavior of the Rakshasas, and also him seeing Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Vibhishana, Indrajit and many others. Since there is no additional significance to be highlighted in that exercise, Sri Madhwacharya has condensed the entire search into just one shloka.
Pranasutra 
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