He asked: 'Who are the Vasus.' Yagnavalkya replied: 'Agni (fire), Prithivi (earth), Vayu (air), Antariksha (sky), Aditya (sun), Dyu (heaven), Kandramas (moon), the Nakshatras (stars), these are the Vasus, for in them all that dwells (this world) rests; and therefore they are called Vasus.'

In plain words: Sakalya asks who the Vasus are. Yagnavalkya says they are fire, earth, air, sky, sun, heaven, moon and stars. They are called Vasus, meaning "dwellers," because everything in the world lives and rests in them.